The Diary of Tai
by sh1f7er
Summary: Following the death of Summer, Tai is given a journal to put his feelings down on paper. Written in the style of journal entries, Tai puts down his side of the story leading Ruby and Yang to where they are today.
1. Entry 1

Entry 1

It is currently 11:30 at night, and I'm writing in a journal. I don't think I've done anything like this since the early years of combat school. I don't even want to think of how long ago that was. Around 20 years… Nope, not thinking about it.

What does someone even write in a journal anyway? Do I just talk about my day? Why am I writing questions in my own journal? Is it possible to ask yourself a rhetorical question?

I guess that answers that question…

So why am I doing this? Well, Bart recommended I make a journal entry every day. I guess that's the history buff in him talking. ' _In order to move into the future we must be able to reflect on our past_ '. Well what if I don't have something interesting to write about for every single day of my life? What's the point of reflecting on things that _aren't there,_ or didn't happen. I suppose I did promise him that I would write a page in this journal every day. I don't know why I did, but that was the promise. Come to think of it, I've never seen Oobleck so adamant about something.

Okay, let's try this again. At the very least, I can do it for him.

Today rained. Again. Spring ended a while ago, but the days have been rainy and cold for the past week. I've asked the girls to stay inside to let it pass over, but it's not like they would have gone outside anyway. Ruby still hasn't stopped crying. She's barely eaten anything and refuses to come out of her room. I don't think she's slept a full night in the past week. I can't blame her. I haven't either.

I think Yang has been sleeping with her every night to try to help her with the nightmares. She's changed. Just last week Yang was picking on Ruby for not being able to pick up the loaded grocery bags. Now she cuddles with her every night. It's hard to believe she's only seven with the way she's been acting recently. From what I can tell, everything she has been doing is helping. Ruby needs to feel safe and loved. I'm happy that Yang can help her with that.

Bart left about an hour ago. He stopped by once the girls were in their room. He wanted to talk, but to be honest I couldn't get a word out. I just haven't been able to find the right things to say. I guess that's why he gave me this journal. To let me put the unspoken words down on paper.

Then there's Qrow. He still hasn't left yet. He hasn't made eye contact with me since the day he arrived. That's probably my fault too. I told him to leave, but Ruby refused to let go of him. He has no right to stay here. If she knew what he did then she would want him gone too. She's too good for any of this. It's not fair to her that any of this happened. It's not fair to any of us. Now he has the audacity to stay here and drink. The _mighty_ hunter Qrow reduced to nothing more than a drunk who can barely get off the couch. Please. If he were half as strong as he believes he is then none of this would have happened.

* * *

 **Author's Notes**

 **Hi Everyone!**

 **I wanted to thank you for reading my first ever fanfiction!**

 **I know that there will be some learning to do, but to me it's all good if it means getting back into writing.**

 **To go along with that, let me know if you have any thoughts on the story. Being my first, I'll take all the criticism I can get!**

 **For the sake of the story, I put Summer's death around the time that Ruby is 5, Yang is 7, and Tai is 30.**

 **Thanks again for reading!**

 **~Sh1f7er**


	2. Entry 2

Entry 2

I kicked Qrow out today. He brought her up again and tried to apologize. He was drunk. He didn't mean what he was saying. He was just trying to make himself feel better for failing to protect her. Bad luck had nothing to do with any of it. He never acted serious during our missions at Beacon. He was too proud and thick-headed to learn from defeat. No matter how many lessons we all tried to cram into him, he never learned. Now WE have to pay for it while he drinks himself into oblivion. I'm glad he's gone. He shouldn't be around Ruby and Yang. No matter how much they don't understand it yet.

Yang… I've never seen Yang so angry. She actually tried to fight me for kicking Qrow out. She said I was abandoning family.

Yeah? Well what _family_ lets someone die? What _family_ stops you from pursuing the ones that did it? What _family_ abandons their team?

The Branwen family.

This wasn't me abandoning Qrow. This was the Branwen's abandoning us. Qrow just took his time with it. Yang doesn't understand that though. All she knows is her lesson from Raven about leaving others behind. To think she compared me to her. My own daughter…

I had to step out of the house for a while. I know I shouldn't have left them at home alone, but I had to get away. I felt like I was going to snap at her. She doesn't deserve that. If anything, I had to do it to protect her from me. I took that time out to go to the woods for a walk. I decided that I couldn't go back until I was calmed for both their sakes. Naturally, a few Grimm showed up due to my mood. I will admit that shattering their bone masks with my boot felt good. Almost therapeutic given the situation if I'm gonna be honest. Looking back on it, I can see why Yang resorted to punching me. That does raise a question of whether or not I really have the same temper tantrums as a 7 year old…

I'm still worried about her though. I have never seen her that angry. With all the emotions and tears, I could've sworn her eyes even looked like Raven's. I guess I was just seeing things. Yang's eyes have always been such a lovely lilac. I don't know how I would've got those confused with a bright red, but I guess that just shows how out of it I was.

By the time I got home, Yang and Ruby had locked themselves away in Yang's room. I could hear Ruby crying the second I entered the door. I wanted to help her. I still do. As sick as it makes me admitting it, I know that I'm the one that caused her pain this time. I think leaving her in Yang's care tonight is for the best. Ruby might get some sleep if she stays with her. Seeing me would just open up another wound right before bed. She needs someone else tonight.

If she isn't able to sleep, I'll be there for her. I'll make sure it's just the two of us. Yang needs to get some sleep too. I can only imagine what taking care of Ruby has done to her. Sitting Ruby down for a talk would be the best option. It's the least I can do. For both of them.

* * *

 **Author's Notes**

 **Hey everyone,**

 **I'm sorry if there were a bunch of recent updates! I was still learning how to use the site and messed up in more than one area. I think everything should be all good for the future now!**

 **Thank you!**

 **~Sh1f7er**


	3. Entry 3

Entry 3

There was a lot of things I wanted to do today. The first, and most important, was having my talk with Yang and Ruby. I honestly don't know why I didn't see them last night. I'm mad at myself for not barging in the door and giving them both a hug. I'm upset that I thought they wouldn't want to see me. Why couldn't I get my head out of my ass and realize they needed me? For a week I've been hovering around them in a terrible attempt at making them feel better. Meanwhile, Yang has done everything in her power to help Ruby. What kind of parent have I been the past week that I haven't taken the time to comfort my children? That's an easy answer. A shitty one.

That sudden epiphany made me realize that I've been in denial. I needed to take care of my two girls. I couldn't keep running from them. I needed to face it.

This morning I came to terms with the fact that this isn't all just a bad dream. Summer really did pass away. I also came to terms with the fact that I am not okay. Even writing this is making my hands shake. It makes me feel weak that I can't accept it. I've seen death so many times. I've caused death myself. I just miss her so much. I know that Ruby and Yang must feel the same way. Those poor girls. I am so sorry that I didn't see it before.

I couldn't keep running from it. I sat down with them in Ruby's room. I wasn't able to say anything. It was like my talk with Bart all over again. Instead, I just held them. Ruby balled. Yang sobbed. I just held it together as long as I could before I cried too. It just confirmed that they've been feeling every bit of sadness that I have. They're children, and their mother just died. Of course their worlds are shattered. How could I not see that? I felt terrible, and still do feel terrible. Those girls deserve so much more than me. They deserve to have a mother that will care for them more than anyone else in this world. They deserve to have someone that can scare the Geist under their bed away. They deserve someone that will cook them dinner and bandage their wounds.

They also deserve a father that can do all of that and more.

I don't really remember how long we stayed held together like that on Ruby's bed. I just know that it ended with the two of them finally getting the sleep that they needed. I tucked them in and gave them both a kiss on the forehead. It's what Summer would have done. I'll need to make them things that I do now.

There was nothing else on my list after that. Walking out of the room with the two of them asleep felt like an incredible accomplishment. None of us were better, but there was relief that I don't think any of us had felt for a week. It was about that time that I realized how tired I was too. I started to walk through the kitchen to head to my room when something unexpected happened.

Raven stopped by. She opened up one of her portals right in the middle of the kitchen. To say I was pissed off was an understatement. I had just gotten the girls to sleep for the first time in days and she barges in unannounced. She must have seen the agitation on my face because she left just as quickly as she came. Without saying a word to me, she simply dropped a small letter on the kitchen table and walked out. You'd think she was some sort of demonic mailman.

By the grace of the gods, Yang didn't wake up. I don't think she would be able to handle seeing her after everything that's been going on. I know I wouldn't. The fact that I have to hide her visit is bad enough as it is. I know Yang has always wanted to meet Raven. I don't really know what she plans to get from the encounter, but I'm almost positive it would end in disappointment.

Maybe it was because I was tired, but I realized I had been staring at the letter for a few minutes after she had left. It was addressed to Qrow. His symbol was written all over it. Apparently, Raven didn't get the memo that he was no longer staying with us. So naturally, I decided to open it. All that was inside was a crudely drawn map to one of Summer's hunting cabins. She set up a few outposts in the woods so she could have a place to stay after a long day of killing Grimm. At first, I thought it would be an update for Qrow, or a letter of condolence. But no. This was a map to collect Summer's belongings.

I really hate the Branwens.


	4. Entry 4

Entry 4

I made the same mistake twice. Such a big, stupid mistake. I went into Vale to pick up groceries and supplies for the week and left the girls at home alone. I feel like such an idiot. Because of my actions, Yang is grounded.

She found the letter from Raven. She had to be going through my room to find it. I don't know why she thought that going through my things was a good idea. Yang is nearly eight years old now. I honestly thought she would know better.

She took the letter from my room and had the wonderful idea of following the map inside it. When I asked her why, she said she thought it would lead to her mom. Her real mom. Raven. I was right. Ruby and Yang need a mother figure in their lives. I can't hope to replace Summer. She was Supermom and I'm just trying to piece things together. I should've known that she would try to find someone to fill that void.

I could've lost both my girls today. Yang took Ruby out on a red wagon to find Summer's shack from the map. In the few hours I was gone they had traveled halfway across Patch. They should have died when they finally made it. That forest is infested with Grimm. It's half the reason why Summer built that shack out there in the first place. With the emotions that Ruby still has they were practically bait.

And then, Qrow saved them.

He never left Patch after I kicked him out. He stayed nearby the entire time. He was looking over them. Most likely as a crow. I had told him to get out of our house. I called him a failure and a drunk. Yet, he stayed. He saved them.

When I made it home, nobody was there. I thought they had been taken. I panicked. I sprinted out into the woods to try a find something, anything that might help me find my girls. And there he was. Cut up to all hell. Yang under his arm, clearly exhausted. Ruby fast asleep on the little red wagon. I almost collapsed. I have never felt so terrified and relieved at the same time.

We rushed Qrow into the house so I could stitch and bandage him up. He was hurt, but it wasn't anything too serious. Yang was silent the entire time. She knew she was in trouble. I just had no clue what her discipline should even entail. I was so stunned that I just sent her to her room. It was the only thing I could think to do.

It killed me to send her up there by herself, but she needed to understand how terrible what she did was. She could've gotten both of them killed. What if Qrow wasn't there to save them? She would have died. Ruby would have died. I would have lost my entire family.

I could hear her balling when I tucked Ruby into bed. My heart sunk and it took everything out of me not to go and comfort her. Summer was always so loving and kind, but she believed in strict punishments. She was a leader and commanded respect despite her warm and friendly appearance. I don't understand how she managed to do it. How could she tell Yang, and Ruby, no? I guess it must have been all those years of at yelling at us. Qrow and I could be difficult, but then there was Raven. How did sweet, innocent Summer stare her down and say no? I guess that's why she was the leader.

When I finally made it downstairs, Qrow gave me his side of the story. For everything. He told me that he understood why I was so angry at first. He knew that I wouldn't take his news well. He let me know that he felt it too. He lost his team's leader. A precious friend. It tore him apart that he couldn't save her. He told me that the memory of the moment she died kept replaying in his head. It's all that he's been able to think about for the past week. His drinking was a feeble attempt to try to stop it. He was just trying to push it all away.

When I kicked him out, I was pushing him away from the ones that reminded him that Summer even existed. He wasn't ready to leave. He wasn't able to let go. So, he stayed close by living in the nearby trees as a crow. He did that just to be close to the only happy things in his life, Yang and Ruby. I never knew Qrow felt that way about them. I didn't think he felt that way about anyone for that matter. Yet, here he was showing me otherwise.

When the girls left the house, he followed close by to keep them safe. He didn't know where they were going, and didn't want to stop following until he knew for sure what they were looking for. When they found the cabin it was overrun with beowolves. The rest… Well you get the idea.

We sort of sat there for a while. There was no talking. I don't think either of us were willing to forgive each other for the past week. But there was understanding. We both knew just how terrible the other must feel. I was beginning to think it wasn't going to end, but then he pulled something out of his pocket. I thought it was going to be his flask. I could see the light reflecting off the silver surface.

It was Summer's emblem. The sparkling silver rose she wore on her hood. It was the last thing remaining at Summer's outpost. The last known item from Summer. I'm going to make sure it belongs to Ruby.


	5. Entry 5

Entry 5

It's been a little while since I've touched this journal. Things have been very quiet recently. I can't say that I'm disappointed about it. The last few weeks were hard on everyone. I don't think that's going to change any time soon. It's not a bad thing. We all love Summer. That love isn't ever going away. It hurts now, but I think it's bringing us together. In a way, it already has with 'Uncle' Qrow.

I read over my past entries today and realized just how much has changed recently. Yang was grounded. The keyword there being 'was'. About two hours after writing that journal, Yang knocked on my door. It was two in the morning, and she had been crying the entire night. At first, I didn't think she realized the ramifications of going after Raven. I was very, very wrong. When I opened my door, she practically tackled me. I couldn't tell what exactly she was saying behind the bawling, but I'm pretty sure it was something about how sorry she was. I had mentioned in the last entry how hard it was not comforting her when I heard the crying coming from her room. This was harder. I cracked. I'm weak. I think she played me.

After listening to her apologize for an hour I gave her a big hug and explained why I had been so angry. It wasn't that I was mad at her. I was just overcome with the thought of losing her. Especially after feeling that way with Summer. It might have been too far, but I tried to explain how I felt by telling her to imagine how she would have felt if anything had happened to Ruby. Correction, it was too far. The result was wailing that woke up everyone in the house. I think her hold on me cracked a rib too. I really don't know where all that strength came from.

What else... Oh, Qrow is staying with us. The girls made sure to yell at me for making him leave in the first place. That's a fight that I will never be able to win. I don't think Qrow and I are going to be best friends any time soon, but I think we realized that we both want what's best for the girls. He seems to want to protect them more than anything else in the world. If him staying here means they get another guardian, who am I to say no?

That's not to say he's getting off the hook from helping around the house. I helped get him a job at Signal. When I say 'helped', I mean that I forced the headmaster to make it happen. Qrow tried on his own, but just about everything went wrong during the interview. Yang about died of laughter when he said that his flask spilled during his trip to the school. His first impression was dropping a whiskey brown resume on the headmaster's desk. When he got a sharp glare of disgust from the man, he did what came natural. Taking a swig to get out of the moment.

That fine work, paired with my influence, got him the illustrious job of teaching the introductory weaponry class. It sounds like a cool job, but I can say with confidence that having a bunch of kids with guns and explosives is a nightmare. Especially with his luck.

Honestly though, having Qrow there to teach the students should be a positive thing. Despite his growling, drunk exterior, he is a very skilled fighter. That scythe of his takes a lot of practice to use. I can only imagine how much training it must have taken to even be able to properly hold the damn thing. In the end, weaponry training might be right up his alley.

What's even more interesting is that he's bound to be Yang's teacher this year. This is going to be her first year at Signal. My little dragon is going to be heading off to combat school. I can only imagine the havoc that she will bring! With the training I've put her through, she should be able to beat on just about anyone. That should keep the boys in line! If not, I'm sure my martial arts course might teach them a thing or two.

To go along with Yang turning eight soon, Ruby is going to be turning six years old. I need to write it again to let it sink in. Little Ruby is going to be six. That is not okay. She's already talking about wanting to become a huntress. I can only imagine where that ambition came from... She is the spitting image of Summer, after all. She even has those beautiful silver eyes that Summer was so proud of. I guess it's only natural that Ruby would want to follow in her footsteps. If that's going to be the case, I should probably get her to start training with Qrow. His style should be a bit better for her than mine. She's a bit too small to focus only on hand to hand. It's a shame. If she was a bit bigger, or stronger, Qrow might be able to teach her how to use a weapon like his scythe. I'm sure she would've gotten a kick out of that.

Still, I realized that with the goal of becoming a huntress, she will need to attend a combat school. With that in mind, I signed her up for Signal's entry academy, Siren. It's going to be her first time going to a class at a combat academy. What does a little girl even need for that? A backpack. Some crayons. Maybe a handgun for her studies? Why is this stuff so difficult?

I'll have to ask Yang. I'm sure she'll know what Ruby needs for class. She's already helping her pick out an outfit for the first day. Last I saw, it was a combat skirt and top that are black with some red trim accompanied by a matching red hood. It's just like the outfit Summer wore at beacon. They even put the rose emblem on her belt. I can imagine it being something Summer would have picked out herself, given the opportunity.


	6. Entry 6

Entry 6

Bart is going to kill me. I keep breaking my promise. I've been so caught up in life that I completely forgot about writing. Although, I'm pretty sure I figured out why he gave this journal to me in the first place. I think it took me coming back to school to understand. He passed it by me at first because I wasn't thinking clearly, but I'm pretty sure it's one of the techniques he was trained on during his studies to become a doctor. He's a decent history professor, but I'm almost positive Ozpin wanted him at Beacon for his training in mental health. In a school full of students who are going to be risking their lives, and their teammate's lives, it makes sense that you would want someone to be able to talk with the students. Even more so when those students have suffered through a terrible tragedy. I never thought I would be the one that needed his help. I guess I'll have to remember to thank him for that.

It's true too. Ever since I started writing in it, I've felt better. Not good. Better. It made me realize just how high strung my emotions have been. I feel like they are warranted, but writing them down has allowed me to put them into perspective. ' _In order to move into the future we must be able to reflect on our past_ '. I guess that wasn't a history quote. Just something else I overlooked. For someone who makes Yang look soft-spoken, Oobleck sure can be subtle.

I really should ask him if there is something like this I could do for the girls. Especially Ruby. I still catch her crying before bed on occasion. Yang even told me that Ruby is still going to her room to sleep because of the nightmares she has. At first I wondered why Ruby never came to me when she had a nightmare, but I think I get it now. Yang has become the house mom since Qrow and I started the school year. No one asked her too. She volunteered herself for it. I was prepared to find someone to watch over them, but Yang actually got mad at the idea. I don't think she wants anyone else in our home. I talked it over with the two of them and we came to the agreement that if they don't leave the house they can stay home alone. Just writing this I know that past me would have an aneurism. Things have changed though. Yang wouldn't ever leave Ruby, or put her in harm's way. Not after the last time.

For as mature as that seems, some things haven't changed. Yang still has one hell of a temper tantrum. It's worse than I thought. It's part of her semblance. I saw it happen during one of the spars in my class. One of the boys was losing so badly that he decided to cheat. He dodged one Yang's punches and instead of punching back, he grabbed her by the hair. That poor kid's nose was broken a few seconds later. Yang moved so fast that I couldn't even think to stop it from happening. When I finally made it onto the sparring floor the kid was on his knees crying and Yang was glaring at him with bright red eyes. I wasn't wrong about what I saw the day I kicked Qrow out. She really did have red eyes like the Branwens. I was honestly terrified of it at first. After all, she is Raven's daughter. It would make sense that once she was in 'the zone' she wouldn't be coming out of it until she was finished eliminating whoever got her there. Raven never seemed to.

With that terrifying image in my head, I tackled her to the ground and restrained her until the anger subsided. After she realized what she had done, she started to panic. At that point, I began to notice that my arms had started to burn from the heat her body was giving off. My little sunny dragon had never been a more appropriate nickname for her. Some of the other students realized that she was hyperventilating, and one of them decided that it would be a good idea to throw water at her to cool her off. It practically went up in steam and the anger came back. I was stuck wrestling an eight year old with the strength of someone my size.

As if the situation couldn't get worse, Qrow ran into the room to see Yang attempting to put me in a half nelson. There was a student half bleeding out from his nose, a girl who looked like she had gone rabid, a struggling teacher, and the bastard decided to take a video on his scroll.

Class ended early that day. It had nothing to do with the black eye I got when Yang elbowed me to break free of my hold. Not one bit. Ruby was mortified when she got home. From the look on her face you would have thought I was dying. I tried to explain what happened, but Qrow beat me to it. He showed her the video. She laughed at me. My family is evil.


	7. Entry 7

Entry 7

I'm not even sure where to start with this entry. It's been a while. A very long while. It's funny looking back on how worried I was that Bart would kill me for not writing in this journal every day. I actually remember talking with him after writing the last entry. He told me that he had immediately recognized my situation after hearing the news about Summer. He made it his goal to do anything he could to help me. When he couldn't get me to talk, he handed me the journal as a last ditch attempt. I hit the nail on the head about his intentions. This was supposed to be a 'diary' for me to write in so that I could vent my emotions on paper. I guess it's a fairly common practice to relieve stress by trying to explain your feelings to yourself. He was just worried I wouldn't take the diary seriously.

That's where I had to correct him. This is a journal. It is not a diary. I'm writing to myself. Not some book that is going to hear out my problems and desires. I remember him laughing at me and saying that this is exactly why he was worried I wouldn't write in it.

After that, he gave me some tips for helping out Yang and Ruby. During the onslaught of potential options that came out of Bart's mouth, one managed to stick with me. I had always wanted a dog. I figured that Ruby and Yang would love a little partner to play with.

They were ecstatic when I came home with the little guy. For a few hours, I could hear nothing but giggles and baby-voices coming from the living room. After a little while of getting to know each other, I told the girls that Zwei had gone through a rigorous obedience school. I even showed off how he knew all the tricks in the book. What I didn't tell them was that part of Zwei's obedience school training had certified him as a stress relief dog. They loved the fact that he seemed to listen and understand everything they said, but didn't pick up on the fact that his constant cuddling was more than just him being affectionate.

By the end of the day, Zwei had taken up his post as Ruby's stuffed animal on her bed. I could almost see the relief on Yang's face when she realized that she would be able to sleep by herself without having an unexpected guest enter in the middle of the night.

A few weeks after I brought him home with me, I started noticing major differences in the girls. It was amazing how much more sleep Ruby seemed to get with the fur ball tucked under her arms at night. And while she wouldn't admit it, Yang seemed to be more energized than even.

After that, things went well. Everyone seemed to finally be able to breathe once we got into a set routine with work and school. So much so that it's been a few years since I've picked up this journal. It was a bit dusty, but I think it would be good to get back into writing in it. If anything, it serves as a great reminder of the past. Despite how sad those times were, I'm thankful that I can read how I felt about them. Not a day goes by that I don't miss Summer. Those old journal entries will be a constant reminder of how truly amazing she was to have effected all of us like that.

I guess this is the time where I talk about the 'now'. A few weeks ago, Ruby discovered her semblance. It happened during her training with Qrow. He set up an obstacle course in the woods and had her running through it. About three quarters of the way through, a Grimm showed up. It was a smaller beowolf, but Ruby didn't expect it. Her first instinct was to cover her face and close her eyes to protect herself. I liked the way Qrow described what happened next. "She burst into roses! Like literal roses. They all came together in some sort of weird ass tornado that cut straight through the Grimm. I had to check my flask to make sure I didn't down the damn thing without thinking about it." So, yeah. Ruby is very fast. I think Yang got jealous of it because now she's asking for a motorcycle. I told her that fifteen year olds aren't allowed to drive and she gave me the finger. I really don't know when I became the bad guy. All the same, it is safe to say that Yang is currently grounded. Again.

To go with her new semblance, Qrow thought it would be time to help Ruby forge her weapon. I was in no place to argue when he brought it up since he was recently named the advanced weaponry teacher at Signal. Surprisingly enough, kids tend to listen to the teacher who is not afraid to berate them in front of the class. Because of his new position, he has access to just about every tool for creating weapons at Signal's disposal. I decided to let the two of them keep the project to themselves. Qrow has been Ruby's mentor over the past few years while I have been teaching Yang everything I know about hand to hand. They've both become great fighters in their own right. I know Summer would be proud.

About a week after the project was discussed, Ruby had her weapon. 'Crescent Rose', the scythe that was bigger than she was. Qrow got a death glare from more than just me. Yang was pissed. How was he going to give such a small girl the most dangerous weapon in the world? He tried to defend himself, but Ruby stepped in to show us that it was also a high caliber sniper rifle. Yang hit Qrow so hard that we now need to replace the door that has a Qrow shaped hole through it.

It took a long time to convince us that Ruby wouldn't kill herself with her own weapon. Qrow explained that he had been training her from the very start of her combat career. That he had passed on the knowledge and skills to be a scythe wielder, just like him. Ruby was so excited that she unfolded Crescent Rose to show off her skills. The weight of it caused her to fall over and bury the end of the scythe into the floor. Two more death glares from Yang and I caused Qrow to fold and promise that they would be practicing every day.

* * *

 **Author's Notes**

 **I opted to skip ahead a bit in the timeline to the point where Yang is 15 and Ruby is 13. I don't enjoy time skips, but I feel like the previous 6 chapters would get redundant for you all.**

 **I hope you're all enjoying it so far! I'm going to try and continue my chapter a day cadence, but it might get a bit dicey with Thanksgiving coming up in the US. Either way, thank you all for reading!**

 **~Sh1f7er**


	8. Entry 8

Entry 8

It's only been a few months since my last entry. To be honest, for the longest time there was nothing much to talk about. The girls have both continued their classes at Signal. Qrow and I have been teaching. Both of us have continued our training with the girls. Bart and Port came over to visit. Zwei has been eating his special 'anti-inflammatory' kibble… I don't know how Bart managed to light Zwei on fire, but at this point I'm not going to question it. And everything else has been normal. Which is weird. It's like we finally figured things out.

At least, it felt that way until Qrow asked to talk with me yesterday. I could tell something was wrong from the very beginning. Despite everything that happened a few years ago, it feels like we've become family again. Just like when we fought together on STRQ. I feel like I've gotten pretty good at telling when something is bothering him. Even with that, I wasn't expecting him to tell me that he was going to quit his job at Signal. I'm pretty sure I scoffed out loud when he said it. I tried to argue with him, but he raised his hand to stop me before I could get a word in. He told me that something had come up. Something he wasn't ready for, and never would be. However, he thought it was something he had to do. At that point, he passed me a letter.

It was from Ozpin. I didn't even need to read it to see where things were going. It was going to be a mission. Based on Qrow's attitude, it was one that he was very conflicted about. When I looked back at him, I saw something I hadn't seen in a long time. Qrow was scared. The last time I had seen it was when he had knocked on my door a few years ago.

He made me read it before we continued any further. It was a scouting mission. One that would take him across Vale, and across Remnant. He would be by himself during that time. Based on the lackluster information that was given, it was to make sure Qrow could be discreet at all times. It took me a minute to digest everything. The letter was so vague that I could only guess at what the goal of the mission was, but he answered that for me. He was being asked to pursue an enemy. The same enemy that was responsible for Summer's death.

At that point, I accepted his offer for a drink out of his flask. He was going to risk his life for answers. We both knew it. Hell, he had accepted the mission already. I didn't know what to say. Based on the silence in the room, he felt the same. We sat there a minute to let everything sink in. I was about to speak, but was interrupted when Ruby and Yang burst through the front door. Both of us put on a fake smile, but I knew we weren't going to be able to hide it for too long. I think he felt it too.

So after saying hello to the girls, he started his goodbye.

Yang was sad about the news, but I think she understood it. Qrow was a good teacher, but I think everyone knew that he didn't enjoy dealing with children every day. Ruby on the other hand… She broke down so hard I thought Qrow was going to start crying. She buried her head into his chest and wouldn't let him go. I honestly expected him to push her away, but instead he wrapped his arms around her in a hug. I would've thought the whole thing was adorable if it wasn't so sad.

When she realized he wasn't going to be changing his mind, she gave him the most pathetic look and asked him if he would miss us. When he said "Nope." I thought she was going to start crying again. Instead, she gave him an even bigger hug and had a huge smile on her face. Yang did too. I guess I'm missing out on an inside joke between those three.

After that they started asking questions about his mission. Naturally, he dodged the questions the best he could. They aren't ready for that world yet. They've certainly grown, but they're still kids. We both agreed that we would tell them everything when they were graduated huntresses. Until then, they deserve to have whatever childhood we can give them. Telling them would be a surefire way to make sure that never happened.

After all the questions were done, we spent time together. It was everything we typically did after a day of work and school, but with everyone doing just a bit more to make it feel special. Yang cooked extra food for dinner. Ruby set the table with candles. I broke out the expensive bottle of whiskey that I had been hiding for Qrow's birthday. When he saw it all, he asked us to excuse him for a minute so he could go for a walk. I guess his 'cool uncle' persona would've been hurt a bit if Yang and Ruby saw him start to tear up like I did.

The night passed a bit too quickly and the early morning hours came way too fast. We all got ready for the school day just like any other. This time, as we all walked out the door, Qrow stayed behind. Ruby gave him one last big hug and Yang waved from a distance to play the emotions off. With that, they started their trip to Signal.

Normally, I would walk with them. I just wanted to make sure I said something to Qrow before I left. He almost looked confused when I apologized to him. I told him that I was sorry for how I had treated him in the past. That I knew it wasn't his fault. He hadn't done those things to Summer. He was just trying to protect her and I was too upset about everything that I put the blame on him. I was expecting some kind of response back, but him shaking his flask filled with expensive booze told me everything I needed.


	9. Entry 9

Entry 9

Today, Yang decided she was going to pick a fight with an Ursa. That wonderful idea is the main reason this entry is being written at the hospital. She broke two ribs, part of her hand, and has teeth marks on her sides. To say that I was a wreck when I saw her is an understatement. However, as she pointed out more than a fair share of times, she isn't dead. That just made me furious. Obviously, I'm so glad that she isn't hurt worse. It's the just the fact that even she recognizes that she could've died. She isn't even fully graduated from Signal yet. I can't even bring myself to think why she thought it was okay to fight a Grimm that size by herself. Taking Ruby into the woods as a child was naïve. Fighting an Ursa was pure stupidity.

I shouldn't even need to write the fact that she's grounded. Most parents may think that being bedridden for injuries would do it, but no. My wonderful little dragon is grounded on top of being bedridden because I wouldn't put it past her to try and move. Just in case, I am going to be putting a wheel lock on Bumblebee. I hope that the lesson will sit in a bit better when she realizes her bike won't move as well.

Then there's Ruby. I thought that she would try to stay quiet the whole time to stay out of trouble. I really wasn't expecting her to defend her sister by telling me this was all her doing. Don't get me wrong, she's grounded too. She's fourteen now. She was just as capable of making a decision to go into the woods as Yang. I just wasn't expecting her to try and take the blame for everything.

I started questioning Ruby about what happened, only to be interrupted by Yang. A quick twist of the dial on her IV had her knocked out in a few minutes. That was around the point that Ruby realized she was on her own. In typical Ruby fashion, she recognized that she was in trouble, and started spilling out the truth behind tears. She told me that Yang had been taking her out once a week to continue her training since she no longer has Qrow to do it. She knew it was wrong to do it without letting me know, but also mentioned that she didn't want to take up more of my time since I've been spending extra hours covering for Qrow at Signal.

I had to stop her before I broke down. I don't know how she manages to do it. If she wasn't so innocent all the time, I would swear that she was the most manipulative person on Remnant. I'm sure it doesn't help that I have to look at those all too familiar silver eyes doing their best to imitate a sad puppy whenever she talks.

After that onslaught, I had to take a second to remind myself that this was a serious matter. I told her that she can always come to me for help. Yes, I'm working extra hours. That doesn't mean that I won't make time for my girls for anything that they need. After all, they are both still my little girls. I would do anything for them.

I think I cracked a rib myself when she slammed into my chest for a hug. She was sorry for all of it. I know Yang would be too. She would make sure nothing would ever happen to Ruby. Even if it meant the cost of herself. She's thick-headed, but I'd guess that she would win awards for the world's best sister. Because of that, I let it go that they had both gone into the woods alone. However, Yang is still in trouble for not finding Ruby and running. Ruby is in trouble for… being there I guess. I'm lucky she's not like Yang when it comes to questioning punishments. I can't really get on her case for wanting to train, but she has to understand that the world is far scarier than she realizes.

All of this brings up a good point though. The last few months without Qrow have been hard. If not for the help training, then for his presence. I know the girls miss him a lot. It doesn't help that his absence is causing me to be away more often too. We all know that he won't be able to contact us while he's on his mission, but having no knowledge of when, or if, he might come back is clearly leaving a pit in more than just my stomach. I never really thought about it, but I wonder if this is how every loved one of a hunter, or huntress, feels. It never really hit me until just now. Missions have always just been a thing that everyone did. Maybe that's why I was in such a shock. Team STRQ didn't fail. I never bothered to ask the question of what would happen if we did.

Qrow won't fail though. I'm sure of it. The second half of that whiskey is still tucked away in the back of the cabinet. It would take the gods smiting him before he let that go to waste. Still, it doesn't feel good being nervous all the time. If I'm feeling it, I'm sure the girls must be too.


	10. Entry 10

Entry 10

For this entry, I'm going to try something different. Well, maybe not different. I think it's what I should have been doing all this time. The problem is that I've been doing a lot of reflecting on specific moments in these recent entries. That's not the best way to word it, because that isn't a bad thing. I just think it takes away from the reason Bart gave me this journal. They do deserve a place in here, but not every time I write.

To that same point, despite them not being happy, I think the first few entries I wrote are the best for me to re-read. Yes, I can remember my anger at Yang for nearly killing herself. The second you bring up an Ursa, I remember it. That's not a very good reflection of me right now though. That was me in the moment. Those early entries were how I felt for months. That's why I want to remind future me to make one of these every few months. Take the time to write down exactly how you feel about your situation and everything that is going on in the world around you.

Especially because, recently, you've been happy.

Honestly, it's really weird to write it down like that. I almost feel guilty for it. I feel like I should be sad about the past, but I'm not. Or at least, I don't think I am. It doesn't eat at me every night like it used to. I still remember the times of team STRQ at Beacon, about the days Yang and Ruby were born, the night that Raven left, and the heavy rain of the day that Summer past. They are all memories that I will carry with me forever. They are the reason I am who I am today. But, they aren't happening now.

What is happening now is Ruby coming down from her post-birthday high. We just celebrated her fourteenth birthday. That also makes Yang sixteen, as of a few months ago. It's been nine full years, and they have grown. I honestly feel like they've grown too much. Especially Yang. She shows confidence that no other sixteen year old should possess. You can really see it at Signal. She's in her final year. You would expect her to have some sort of authority. However, unlike the others with senior status, she commands it. More so than some of the teachers even. If her breaking the dress code doesn't point to that, the way people stare at her in the halls sure could.

I would argue that my training had something to do with it, but that's even hard to argue from time to time. None of the other students will spar her in my course. It's gotten to the point that I've had to start stepping up to take her on. Don't get me wrong, I will never let her beat me. She's got awhile to go before she is able to take on full-fledged huntsmen. But… she actually landed a punch recently. It wasn't much, and I told her that it missed. I had to fake a smile in front of the other students, but she did more than just graze my cheek. I think she knows it too. Smug little brat.

I don't think her cockiness is necessarily bad though. She's earned more than her right to be so. With the way she treats Ruby, it's no wonder the other students see her as an authority figure. I guess that's also why Ruby seems to always be glued to her hip. Sure, she has friends of her own. Ruby is incredibly sweet to everyone. I just get the sneaking suspicion that Yang had to be the one to instigate her friendships for her.

They are sisters, but I think everyone tends to look at Yang as a very young mom. At times, I think Ruby does too. I feel like I should be upset about that for some reason. Yang shouldn't be forced to play the role of 'mom' because I'm not able to pick up for Summer. But she isn't, and I'm not. It's like she challenged herself to take on that role. Yang does not back down from a challenge. Especially not from herself. Some might see stubbornness, but I see drive and compassion that no other sixteen year old possesses. All of those traits stack up in one amazing person. The only type of person that could have been raised by someone as good to the world as Summer.

To say that I'm proud of Yang would do her an injustice. She has earned so much more than just my pride over these few years. I won't ever be able to repay her for the way that she kept this family together. The only thing I can think to do is to keep getting better myself. It's what all my girls would do. Especially Ruby.

Speaking of Ruby, she has become the prodigy of Signal. Sure, Yang is the top of the class in terms of fighting ability, but I give Ruby the title because of how unexpected everyone seemed to be when she showed her stuff. She's small, cute, and seemingly innocent. However, not one student can keep up with her speed. I have to actually pay attention when we train together. What's even more terrifying is her weapon. Crescent Rose can slice through trees as if they were butter. The damn thing is twice her size, and yet she carries it around like it's just another part of her arm. Yes, she's got a long way to mastering her abilities. But I can already start to see just how much potential she has.

It also helps that Qrow left a training regime in her room. I don't think she found it until just recently. He must have hidden it somewhere, and expected her to find it. The fact that it took almost a year might be boiled down to bad luck. Sometimes I wonder if that extends to things he's touched as well.

I've watched Ruby go through it though. It's the same one that Qrow did every morning before our classes. Back then, he was determined to make sure he could use his scythe just as quickly as anyone with a dagger, or sword. He had his reasons for that, but I'm sure those same reasons will help Ruby in the long run.

I know I'm going to seem like a sap, but I'm so proud of her too. In their own ways, they've both become strong, beautiful young women. I think that's why I'm happy. Despite everything that's happened, they are growing up. I feel like that's something I can be proud of.


	11. Entry 11

Entry 11

I love my girls very much, but they are hiding something from me. I'm a teacher. I know when students are up to no good. I don't know what they did, but both of them did something. I wouldn't have evidence for it, if I hadn't gotten a call from one headmaster Ozpin.

It's been awhile since Ozpin last called me. I can imagine that being something to do with how our last conversation went. It was shortly after Summer had passed, and I had recovered enough to think. He knew that I wouldn't be leaving the girls to go on another mission for him. I opted out of that world the second Summer had passed. Even if I didn't have the mental capacity to understand it at the time. Yet, he contacted me anyway.

I remember being furious with him. I also remember him trying to talk me down. He knew his share of the blame. He even apologized for it. At the time, it wasn't enough. Hell, I don't think it's enough to this day. He is the reason team STRQ went on all the missions that it did. If it weren't for him, we might not have ever needed to go on them. Without him, we would've never known, or been involved with any of it.

At the same time, none of my life would have been the same. Without him, I might not be a trained huntsman. I wouldn't have met Raven, Qrow, or Summer. I also wouldn't have Ruby and Yang.

I guess that's why I hit the accept button this time. I don't know what I was expecting. Maybe some update on Qrow, or something. Instead, it was about Ruby.

He wouldn't tell me what happened. He simply stated that he had accepted her into Beacon academy for the upcoming semester due to her combat abilities. That's a two year skip of classes. TWO YEARS. At first I was ecstatic that her talent was recognized, but then I remembered who I was talking to, and what that meant. I questioned Ozpin on it, but all he said was that he had personally talked with Ruby and that she had accepted on her own. I know it's her dream to go to Beacon, but I'm not sure if she's ready.

I'm not sure I'm ready.

I can't tell her that though. I would never try to take away her dreams. I just wish I knew what happened for her to get noticed in the first place. Sure, she's a prodigy at school. Yang was too though. There is always one student who stands out from the rest. None of them had been asked to attend early. Yet, here we are. I must just be sad to hear that she's leaving with Yang. I thought I was going to get another two years with her at home. I could finally give her one on one lessons with hand to hand. We could work on her social skills without Yang being around. I could try to be a dad without Yang around.

I know I could do it. I want to prove that I can. Now, I'm not sure I'll be able to. I don't know why I'm just realizing all of this now. Am I that selfish? Right now, I feel like I am.

No. I can't take away Ruby's acceptance. She earned her right to go. With time, I'm sure she'll tell me what got Oz's attention on her own. He said she was accepted for combat abilities. She isn't the hot head that Yang is. I doubt Ruby will ever be seen near a bar, much less a bar fight. She's almost exactly like Summer, and Summer wouldn't cause a scene with anyone. I honestly don't think Summer ever started a fight. She only tried to prevent other fights from happening.

Honestly, the only reason I can see Ruby fighting outside of a combat ring would be to protect others. She always talks of huntsmen like they're superheroes. Using their abilities to fight Grimm, and stop criminals. There are no Grimm in downtown Vale. The only 'criminal' I've heard about was in the news. I'm trying to remember the guy's name. I should be able to remember it. He was on the news earlier today. I can picture him. Red hair. Bowler hat. I guess it doesn't really matter. The news said that he had been stopped by Glenda and…

* * *

Ruby is grounded.

* * *

 **Author's Notes**

 **Now that the holiday has passed, I'm going to try to go back to my one update a day cadence.**

 **I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.**

 **~Sh1f7er**


	12. Entry 12

Entry 12

Ruby's punishment was hard to think on. Grounding her because she tried to stop a criminal doesn't send the right message. Yes, criminals need to be stopped. However, she isn't a huntress yet. She should help out where she can, but to take on a criminal by herself was irresponsible. It's the same lesson coming up again. I've been trying to teach Yang responsibility for years. I guess that makes me the one with the problem. Maybe I wasn't teaching the lesson right this whole time.

That would explain why Yang was upset that Ruby's punishment was sparring with me. It was different from the regular treatment I had given her for essentially the same thing. Granted, sparring isn't a punishment for Yang. I bet she would revel in the opportunity to fight with me after I chew her out for something. I don't know what I have to do to make it sink in, but I really do need to think of something before her recklessness comes back and bites her.

It seems so obvious, but I don't think I've ever really thought about all of this until writing it down just now. Giving out punishments shouldn't just be a quick thing. Hell, looking over my last few entries that seems to be all I've done. I need to start teaching a lesson with each one. Not just let the girls think on it themselves. That won't teach them anything.

Tai, you're a teacher. Both of your girls are your students. Why has that concept been so hard to grasp? Make a lesson plan and teach it. Parenting should be easy stuff.

All the same, it might be too late now. Ruby and Yang leave for Beacon in about two weeks. If Ruby is going to manage to fight with students two years her senior, she's going to need a crash course in two years of classes. Since Yang is going to be at Beacon with her, I think we can pass over martial arts for now. Ruby is going to need to play to her strengths to hang around the other student's skill levels. She'll have to pick up hand to hand in Goodwitch's sparring classes, instead of here with me.

That leaves two weeks to focus on her scythe, aura, and semblance. I know Qrow had her running through obstacle courses, and she's been following his scythe training for weeks now. If this is going to be a crash course, she's going to need the real thing.

Come to think of it, a two week camping trip might be just the thing we need before the girls head off. The woods around here have had Grimm for years. It will be just like a regular mission out in the field. I can teach them survival skills, and then we can have both girls take on Grimm under my watch. That should give Ruby all the combat experience she needs to get through initiation, and Yang the chance to fight something that isn't me. I might even be able to teach Zwei how to track Grimm. We'll be like a regular team! Team TRYZ!

Okay. I'm going to stop writing about it. I'm going to get too excited about this before bed.

I guess that shows how much I miss it. When was the last time I even wanted to go on a mission? Twenty years ago? Probably just before Yang was born. That was when Oz was personally sending team STRQ out. For a while there we were constantly out doing something. When Raven got pregnant, I guess he eased up on us a bit. Sure, we went on the occasional scouting job, but it was different. I guess he wanted to let us slow down to prepare for lives with a newborn.

I remember that being easy for Summer. She wanted to spoil the girl rotten. Luckily, she was Raven's kid, otherwise Yang might have a cookie addiction like Ruby. Qrow was a bit torn. I think he liked how close Yang brought us, but I don't think he was ready to slow down. I suppose he still isn't considering what he's currently up to.

I slowed down to take care of Raven. If it weren't for me, I'm pretty sure she would have been fighting up until she went into labor. I'm actually positive she would have. Raven was the only one that seemed worried about the pregnancy. She loved the thought of Yang, but I think she was more scared of slowing down than Qrow.

Looking back on it all, she must have been scared that she was abandoning her reason from coming to Beacon in the first place. Although, I think both her and Qrow gave that up because of Summer. How did we ever get along?


	13. Entry 13

Entry 13

I sent the girls off to Beacon today. To say Yang was excited would be an understatement. Ruby, on the other hand, was so nervous that Yang had to push her onto the airship. Seeing them get onboard started making me tear up a bit. I couldn't let them see that, so I exaggerated it to embarrass them. I saw Yang's face, and eyes, go bright red when I started wailing from the loading dock. Her friends were right next to her when it happened, so I can only imagine how well it worked! The plan almost backfired when Ruby attempted to get off the ship to comfort me. Yang had to grab her by the hood to make sure she wouldn't miss the flight.

They'll never know that the tears were real.

I'm going to miss them while they're at school. I made Ruby promise that she'd write to me every day. That was my only condition for letting her go two years early. I know it won't be possible. Writing a letter every day shouldn't be. Especially with the class and training schedules at Beacon. I just want to make sure that she doesn't forget about me while she's away.

I was going to ask Yang to do the same, but I'm pretty sure she would be a lost cause for letters. Instead, I made her promise that she would watch over Ruby through initiation. If Ozpin follows his typical schedule, they should be forming teams within a few days. Once Ruby is on a team I'm sure she'll be fine. Those first few days of meeting people is going to be hard for her though.

I know it was for me. I was cocky and arrogant when I arrived at Beacon. I thought I was bound to be the next famous, legendary huntsman in the making. So naturally, I decided it would be good to talk to some of the girls to get to know them. I had my eyes on a dark haired girl, but had to wait for, what I thought was, her boyfriend to leave her side. I remember walking up to her, tapping her on the shoulder, and then the world going black.

I guess you could say that my first impression on Raven wasn't the best. I woke up to Qrow sniggering at me, and Summer propping my head up. I looked into Summer's eyes and was caught off guard by the beautiful color. In my hazy state, I asked if she was an angel.

So, that's how I started my career at Beacon with a broken nose and a black eye. If Yang ever heard that story, I think I might actually go deaf from her laughter. If not hers, than Ruby's for sure. The good news for them is that they get to start fresh at a new school. We did end up going on that camping trip over the last two weeks. They should be ready to go make a good first impression on everyone!

I should mention the camping trip. It went really well! When I brought up the idea, Yang was a bit unsure. I think she wanted to spend her last few weeks on Patch with her friends. All those thoughts went away when I told her that it was going to be a 'full combat' camping trip. I didn't even need to convince Ruby after she heard that.

So we all packed our bags, and Zwei led the way into the forest. Ruby was so excited when I brought up calling ourselves team TRYZ, but Yang threated to go home if I mentioned it again. I'm glad we share a good sense of humor.

We talked all the way through the forest as a family. I can't remember ever going on a vacation with them. Come to think of it, I don't think I've actually gone on a vacation since becoming a huntsman. All the same, it made killing Grimm a pleasant experience. I will say that they were both excited to see me show off a bit. Both of them are clearly curious to see what would happen if I went all out. There was some serious disappointment when I mentioned that I wouldn't be fighting. This training trip was for the two of them to show off their skills. I was just going to watch them.

That being said, I made sure to do more than that. I corrected every mistake that I saw them make. I don't think Ruby expected me to teach her about Crescent Rose, but she forgets that I was on a team with Qrow for half my life. I told them that when you get your teammates it is important to understand what they can do. That means learning their fighting styles, and their weapon capabilities. In a way, learning your teammate's abilities is more important than your own. You have to be able to recognize what they plan to do before you make your move. Otherwise, you'll just end up getting in each other's way.

After a week in the forest, I think we cleared well over a hundred Grimm. There weren't a ridiculous number of them, but enough to really show the girls how much they have yet to learn. It was the lesson that I've been trying to teach them for years. Responsibility will come from understanding. I think it finally started to get through to them.

When we finally got home, the girls decided that they were going to sleep until the day they left. I guess they didn't quite expect to be so tired from sleeping on the ground. I couldn't relate. Sleeping on the ground brought back years of training. Towards the end, I think it started reminding me of the old days. With the girls, and Zwei, by my side, I don't think I've had a better nights sleep.


	14. Entry 14

Entry 14

Ruby is as true to her word as she's ever been. It's been a day and I've already received a letter from Beacon. I am a little sad to write that I might have to hand over the title of 'Worst First Day at Beacon'. Apparently, she blew up. She mentioned that it had something to do with a girl named Weiss Schnee. Based on name alone, I can assume the explosion had more than a little to do with dust. I thought Ruby would be aware of the dangers of dust by now. Unfortunately, its usage is primarily taught in the final two years at Signal. The main reason is that most of the younger students need to focus on the basics of combat, along with getting familiar with their weapons. All of that needs to happen long before adding dust to their repertoire. I know Ruby has had all kinds of practice handling and shooting off dust rounds in Crescent Rose. Qrow made sure of it. I'm just not sure if he ever taught her with concentrated dust like in the classes, or just the rounds themselves. Either way, I'd wager that she now has a firm grasp on the subject.

She seems really upset about the whole thing though. Yang and I have been pushing her to meet more friends, and I bet she feels as if she's failed after day one. I know I did when I had my introduction to Raven and Summer. I was constantly reminded the difference between 'hitting on' girls and getting 'hit by' them. The first few weeks with STRQ were such a riot… I just hope Ruby doesn't have to go through that. With any luck, Weiss will end up on a different team. That way, if the arguments continue, the two of them will be able to settle it in a sparring ring.

Ruby also mentioned that the first day was ending with a giant sleepover in the cafeteria. I'm guessing that's where she wrote the letter. I say that because Yang was clearly bothering her while she wrote it, and I don't remember getting rooms until after being on a team. Ruby wrote, "I told Yang I was writing to my friends at Signal because she won't get off my case. She keeps making me try to talk with everyone. I've already talked with three people today! Isn't that enough for her?" No, Ruby. When working with the social butterfly that is Yang, you must be prepared for anything. Now that they are in the same class, it's only going to get worse.

The one good piece of news I got out of the letter is that she's excited to show everyone what she's made of at initiation. I'm sure she wants to prove herself after "causing a crater in the courtyard". I'm sure the physical damage won't be anything that Goodwitch won't be able to patch up. The damage to relationships though… I can relate to exactly how she feels.

I remember my initiation as if it were yesterday. We were to be dropped off in Forever Fall, and then navigate through the Grimm infested forest to a pickup location. Somewhere in between the two points was a campsite where we were tasked with collecting a colored bandana. Before we took one, we needed to have a partner picked out. Your partner was to be the first person you came into contact with. That rule seemed like a load of BS at the time, and it was. Everyone was upset when they heard it. There should be no way that a functioning team can be picked like that. But those were Ozpin's rules.

After receiving the ground rules at Beacon, I remember flying over the forest and taking in the sights. The whole area was beautiful, if not for the occasional Grimm walking through it. I was so immersed in all of the colors that I didn't realize the cane gently pushing on my back until I was already falling out of the bullhead. I remember turning at the last second to see Ozpin sipping on his mug, as usual, with the biggest grin I think I saw him wear throughout all of my time at school.

Wait. The girls had initiation today. I swear, if Ozpin pulled that shit with them he'll be a dead man. Especially if he didn't record their reactions…

Where was I… Ah yes, falling into the forest. I'll admit, I didn't have the most graceful landing strategy. That could be why it's the only part of the whole memory that's a bit blurry. I had leaves in my hair, and a few twigs caught in my spaulder, but no broken bones. So, I suppose it wasn't all that bad. Once I was down, I recall sprinting towards where I remember the campsite being from in the air. I'd guess that I was halfway there when I ran into a few Ursa that decided I looked like a chew toy. I managed to kill three of them, but the forth knocked me back into a few trees. Luckily, after crashing through one of the trunks, I landed on something soft. Unfortunately, that something soft wanted to kill me more than the Ursa.

To say that Raven was displeased with me being her partner would be putting it very, very lightly. She kept muttering how Qrow was supposed to meet her, and then yelling at me for interrupting that meeting. In my infinite wisdom as a teen, I apologized for separating her from her boyfriend. At the time, I thought it was luck. I had barely finished my apology when Raven's sword landed about an inch from my neck, and into the tree I was leaning on. Turns out, it was actually her being, unnaturally, unlucky.

That was the exact moment Qrow strolled around the corner with his usual sniggering. I was a little mortified when Summer followed suit from right behind him. Raven muttered some choice words at Qrow who responded with a simple "Sorry Sis." That's about the time I put two and two together on their relationship. From there, Raven pulled her sword out of the tree in such a way that it split in half. I'm sure it was to prove that I was given my one and only chance at life.

Since I was still alive, I took the opportunity to clear out all the nearby Grimm on the way to the campsite. I'm pretty sure the other three were a little surprised to see me manage it after my poor first impression. To be fair, I was attempting to show off a bit to diffuse the situation. If not for the exhaustion, I'd say I did a pretty good job. Eventually, we made it to the campsite where Qrow and Raven both grabbed a red bandana from one of the tents. Raven stung it up in her hair like a trophy, and I honestly don't remember her ever taking it off.

From the campsite, it was a quick jog to the pickup zone. The other three were in the bullhead when I heard a scream from the forest. The others couldn't hear it over the noise of the machine, and I didn't wait for them to. I ran off into the forest and found two hurt students with a giant Ursa looming over them. I tried fighting it off, but couldn't do much after all the energy I spent on the day. If anything, I managed to take the attention away from the other two. I honestly thought I was going to die when it pinned me against a tree. It bared it's teeth, but it's jaw never clamped down.

Instead, the Ursa groaned and fell at my feet. It might have been the nerves again, but that time Summer deserved to be called an angel. I guess that's why she chuckled instead of giving me a second black eye. The two of us helped the injured students to the pickup zone so they could get medical attention. One of them noticed my arm had taken a hit during the fight, and wrapped it in the orange bandana they had collected. Raven scoffed at me when I decided I would wear it like a trophy the same way she wore hers. It's kinda funny. I only replaced it when Qrow gave me the one he picked up that day. To think, it was to congratulate Raven and I getting together…

Still, that day will forever be one of the greatest of my life. I'd imagine it would sound silly to anyone else, but it was the day I was paired with some of my greatest friends. Sure, there were negatives. I almost died twice. One of those times coming from my own partner. The other, the reason for my nerves when it comes to Ursa. But I proved myself. Just like I know Ruby will.

Thinking on it, maybe Ruby being on a team with Weiss wouldn't be so bad. After all, Qrow and Raven started with sticks up their ass too.


	15. Entry 15

Entry 15

The first week of the semester is finally over. I say finally, but my time teaching is actually what makes the days go by the fastest. It's so quiet at home. Zwei has taken to sitting on my lap while I watch TV, and even goes out with me when I train. For a dog his size, you would expect him to be fearful of the woods. Yet, he follows me out there, and helps to track down animals and Grimm alike. Even with our trips, his bark and the TV are all I've been hearing at night. It makes home feel like a ghost town compared to when it had the usual sounds of Yang being Yang, and Ruby yelling because of it. I guess that's why I decided to bring Zwei to Signal with me today. Having him there let me stay around the sounds of the school for a bit longer.

As for school itself, I have the typical students in my class this semester. The over-achiever, the class clown, the hot heads, and the few who refuse to participate. It's as if the same students keep getting recycled, but with different bodies and voices to go with those same personalities. I'd call it dull, but this year is different from the previous nine. I almost can't remember having a full day of class without Ruby or Yang in it.

Has it really been that long? I do remember their first days at Signal. They were scared. Most new students are. That nervousness is pretty standard when you have students from age seven to seventeen wondering the halls. It takes a while for them to realize that the first five years of class are reserved for regular studies. It's practically an entirely separate school. Sure, Signal is known for combat. But every student still needs to learn how to read, write, and perform basic mathematics. Because of that, most of the younger ones don't even see the 'combat' side unless they have a gym class.

There are always exceptions to the rules though. Some students find their semblance early, and need to learn how to control it. Others have huntsman as parents, and start at school with more fighting knowledge than most of the older students. That was part of the reason Yang and Ruby were always granted access to at least one upper level class. Because they were so young, they were almost always signed up for mine.

Now they are both at Beacon. I don't think I would be having such a hard time with it if Ruby hadn't skipped two years. Maybe then I could have eased out of having my girls around. But they're both gone now. Chasing their dreams as huntresses. I guess time is flying by after all.

Other than Zwei, my excitement at home has come, almost exclusively, from Ruby's letters. When I told her to write to me every day, I didn't mean literally. Well, I did, but that's too selfish of me. The good news is that I recognized it early this time. I wrote her back saying that I appreciate her writing to me so often, but that she should be spending time with her team. She mentioned in her letters how much she misses Zwei and I, and it makes me feel amazing that she feels that way. But I can't expect her to stick with me forever. She has a life that she deserves to live. I shouldn't hold her back from that. Especially if that means holding back her team as well.

She sent me a picture of them. Team RWBY. Or, as the picture says with red marker "New Best Friends" with a heart. Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long. They look like a very diverse team. All of them clearly have a different style, which is good. Moreover, I approve of the color coordination. It's just a bit surreal to see my girls on a team. I shouldn't have been shocked when I saw Ruby as the leader. Clearly, Ozpin sees the same thing in her that he saw in Summer. I won't question that. I guess I was just worried that the responsibility fell on her while she's still fifteen. At least, until I saw that Yang was going to be with her.

It's another selfish thought, I know. Yang has always been around to help Ruby. Up until a few weeks ago, she was expecting to meet all new friends and start a life that revolved around her, and her new team. Ruby wasn't even supposed to be going to the same school as her. If she didn't want to be on her team, I can understand. It just helps me to know that Ruby will forever be safe at school with her sister by her side. With Yang around, there's no way anything will happen to her. I know Yang won't ever mention it either way, but I hope she's happy with her team. She deserves it.

At the same time, after writing the last entry, I'm not even surprised to see that Weiss ended up as Ruby's partner. It's as if Ozpin knows the first person you see during initiation is going to be your enemy. Although, Ruby also mentioned that Weiss is giving her a shot as leader. I didn't expect that to happen so fast, but if Raven and I managed to become friends after our start, I'm sure Ruby will have no problem warming up the 'Ice Queen'.

It's pretty funny that they've already given Weiss a nickname. Leave it to teenagers to poke fun at the 'strict and serious' member of the team. I can't say we were any different. It's a real shame that 'Rave' didn't stick. Irony was always lost on 'the life of the party'… Even more so when the irony came from Summer.

That leaves the last member. Looking at the picture a bit more, I'm starting to wonder how long Blake's secret is going to hold up. It's almost stunning that none of the girls have noticed her 'traits' yet. This picture alone makes it seem obvious. It should be simple to notice it in person. I don't know. Maybe it's just that I've been around a lot of faunus in my lifetime, and recognize when one is trying to hide it. Oh well, it's her secret to keep. I won't be the one to say anything. I just hope she doesn't hold it in for too long. Ruby and Yang won't care, and will continue to welcome her with open arms. That's how Summer brought them up as kids. However, keeping secrets will ultimately hurt their team.

I know that was our first hurdle as team STRQ. Raven and Qrow outclassed everyone when we started at Beacon. I didn't question it too much, but Summer never let up. I remember it being Qrow that finally let it slip. She asked him why he only chose to practice with his weapon as a sword when his scythe would be so much better at killing Grimm.

It's a good thing that Summer was our leader. I wouldn't have handled his response with such grace.


	16. Entry 16

Entry 16

It's been a few weeks since my last entry. I wanted to write, but I honestly had nothing to put down. I've just been so lonely recently. I thought I could do it, but coming home to an empty house is so hard. Even Zwei feels it. Every time I leave him home alone, I come back to find him curled up on Ruby's bed. It tears me up a bit every time I see it. He misses them just as much as I do. I keep trying to get him to sleep on my bed, but he won't do it unless I bring one of Ruby's pillows down for him to lay on. I guess we're both still having a hard time letting go.

He's been my little buddy over the past few weeks. We've been going on scouting missions into the woods whenever the weather permits. I figured, since he's going to be in dangerous situations with me, I had better train him to fight. It sort of reminded me of teaching Ruby when she was younger. At first, he had no idea what I was asking him to do. This definitely wasn't something that was taught to him during 'obedience school'. He finally started to get it when I congratulated him with some treats for tackling a straw dummy I made.

That was when we started. At this point, he can hold his own against most of the animals in the forest. It seems quick to make that judgement, but I know it's true. Teachers always tell students that animals have aura. They have souls, so it makes sense. I had never seen it with my own eyes though. Thinking back, that's probably what Oobleck was up to when Zwei caught on fire as a puppy. I guarantee he unlocked his aura, and proceeded to test to make sure it had worked. That man. I swear, he genuinely cares for those around him, but he needs to slow down and warn everyone before doing stuff like that.

That thought aside, I'm just happy that Zwei and I are able to get out of the house. As of late, I've had this constant itch to start using my training again. It's been building ever since going on the camping trip with the girls. All of those years of missions never left my head, despite clearly leaving my body… I'm out of shape. I've been training kids for years, and I guess it made me ignorant to how much my strength has been dwindling. I can't even remember the last time I fully exerted myself.

That was going to change though. I love teaching at Signal. I really do. I just need to get out and do more. I can't keep feeling alone, and helpless for myself. I need to be strong. Just like my girls.

At least, that was how I felt this morning. That changed when I decided to act on it.

It was the first time I've ever seen the man truly surprised. Ozpin actually had to stop and stare at me for a second before taking a sip from his mug. Before I could get a word in about starting on missions again, he asked if I was there to talk about what happened at the docks. I had seen something about them on the news, but hadn't been paying attention. I figured it had to be something important if he immediately assumed I was there to talk with him about it. It's very rare for Ozpin to be forward with information. So I lied. I demanded answers about the docks, not knowing what to expect. He simply nodded his head and explained the whole thing.

Roman Torchwick had been working with the White Fang to steal shipping crates full of dust. According to Ozpin, he's been the main reason for all of the recent dust robberies throughout Vale. Ruby's teammate, Blake, had run into his operation. She, and a boy named Sun, attempted to stop Roman, but were bested. Roman had attempted to kill them, but was stopped by Ruby and a student from Atlas.

He thought I was there because Ruby had put herself in danger. Surely, Ruby would have never told me about any of this. I punished her the last time she interfered with criminals. It was even the same one! Ozpin had been surprised because he didn't expect me to know a thing.

I should've expected that from Ozpin. Of course he'd let students run off into danger. Hell, for him it's practically an initiation in and of itself. It's the same thing he did with us. I thought he would leave my family alone after all that's happened. I thought he would let them learn and train just like any of the other students. No. He let them go and risk their lives.

What would've happened if Ruby hadn't showed up when she did? She would've seen the tragedy of recklessness first hand with Blake. She would've been mortified. She would lock herself up. She would blame herself.

She would be like me.

At the time, I couldn't think. I was so angry. Ozpin didn't even try to stop me. I destroyed his desk when I slammed my fists into it. Glynda had to step into the room to stop me from taking out the rest of the office. She even had a hard time holding me in place using her powers on the cracked pieces of wood from the destruction. I was stuck, but I didn't let that stop me from glaring at him the entire time.

It was then that he told me why he did it.

He's scared. All the progress we made during our missions is coming undone. Team STRQ hasn't been around for years. Without us, there's been time to recover and re-plan. It's why Qrow is out in the field. He said he would've asked us both, but the board at Signal told him I wasn't ready. They were right. I wasn't.

I am now though. If I can't trust Ozpin to watch over them, I'll make sure I am.

That's why I ordered him to start sending me out again. Somehow, he seemed less surprised by that. I gave him a warning too. If he tried to force anything on the girls, as he had done with us, Glynda wouldn't be able to hold me back. He was stern when he agreed, but mentioned that, as his students, they would always be able to choose to help.

If I'm any good at this anymore, they won't have to.


	17. Entry 17

Entry 17

Today was my last day at Signal. I was worried when I made the announcement a few weeks ago. I thought everyone would feel like I was abandoning them. Instead, the headmaster laughed and told me that he was more surprised that I hadn't left sooner. He even shook my hand and thanked me for all the time I'd spent teaching. I was kinda shocked about it. Even the students seemed to understand when I told them that they were getting a new teacher soon. It makes me feel like everyone has been silently cheering for me to get back out there. I won't forget that.

I start my first mission next week. I've been smoothing over the details with Ozpin since the day I walked into his office. I'm to investigate a few locations southwest of Vale that seem to have had an increase in Grimm presence over the past few months. Normally, this wouldn't cause too much concern, but Ozpin has gotten field reports that suggest it could be something much bigger. To go with that, he believes that Roman Torchwick is tied in with all of this. I was going to question it, but he said a little birdy told him. I couldn't help but laugh when he said it. Qrow always hated when we called him that.

The real trouble is that we don't know who he might be working for. Well, at least not directly. He's the bottom of the totem pole. That much is clear. That just means that there's someone in-between calling the shots. The hope is that these investigations will lead to some sort of clue for us. The problem there is the amount of Grimm that are going to be in the area. We know that they will be abundant, but are fairly certain that everywhere we search will be abandoned. It's pretty typical of Grimm to cover an area after the criminal occupants leave. They follow the negativity that typically comes with the criminals, but the majority tend to stay back when they realize the situation can get dangerous. In other words, this mission is going to be a lot of fighting for a potentially non-existent reward. What else is new?

In an attempt to offer support, Ozpin is giving me a student team for the mission. They haven't been fully briefed on the reasoning for the investigation, but know that they are going to be seeing some action. From the way Ozpin made it sound, that just excited them.

I'm kinda worried about it though. Ozpin talked very highly of team CFVY, but this isn't Forever Fall. We're going to be well beyond the defenses of Vale. The Grimm there will be stronger than anything they've dealt with before. More importantly, they're going to be way tougher than anything I've fought for years. I get that I'm the trained huntsman here, but it's scary to think that I'll be in charge of these students lives after so many years out of the job.

At the same time, I'm doing this to protect the girls. If I can't even protect a team of students from some Grimm, how am I supposed to keep them safe?

I guess that just means that I'm going to have to use this last week wisely. I've been working out with Zwei every day after class ends, but there's still a lot of rust to shake off. The good news there being that my strength and cardio are coming back pretty quickly. The bad news is that I have yet to even touch my aura. The Grimm around here are too weak to do good amounts of damage. I typically don't even bother using it. The Grimm to the southwest though… I'm going to need to find a better place to train.

While I'm doing that, I'll have to come up with some strategies for the students. I've been reviewing the files that Ozpin gave me on them. From what I've read, they appear to be pretty popular around the civilians of Vale. Their leader, Coco, is known for her fashion sense just as much as her fighting ability. I'd wager that Ozpin gave them to me for that reason. When I first started at Beacon, all I wanted to be was the famous huntsman that was known worldwide. It's a silly thing to say, but I was naïve as a kid. It only took a few years of being on a team with Summer to figure out what it really meant to be a huntsman. If I know Oz, assigning these students to me is just another way to remind me of that.

Another thing I noticed in their file is that this team is in charge of the school dance. I don't know why Ozpin was keeping record of it, but it was a nice reminder of the letter Yang had sent me a while ago. Well, it was a part of the letter. The rest was just fluff about school to cover up the fact that she had sent it with the sole intention of getting money for their dance outfits. I appreciated the effort she put into trying to hide it, so I sent her some. I do find it kinda funny though. Ruby sent me a letter right around the same time. From her letter, it almost sounded like she wasn't planning on going, but Yang was forcing her to. I don't know why I feel like that's the case.

"Dad! Please don't give into her demands! She just wants your money so that she can buy me heels! HEELS! Can you imagine me in heels? It's like she wants me to break my ankles! How am I supposed to be fast if I can't even run!? I already told her I would wear a dress! That means not having my hood for one full night! Shouldn't that be enough for her? Please don't let herhiuovnbwa –

Oh dear! Don't pay any attention to that! I can't believe I would accuse my BEAUTIFUL sister of wishing me harm. I must have over-reacted! But what else is new? Right Dad? Anyway, if you could send Yang some cash for the dance I would greatly appreciate it! I'll even be sure to take plenty of pictures so you can have a pretty framed photo of us hanging from the wall! Love you!"

Call it fatherly intuition.


	18. Entry 18

Entry 18

That mission was such a shit-show. We spent weeks planning, I spent just as much time training, and it was still a colossal disaster. I should have noticed it would be a wash straight from the start. When we were dropped off, there were clear signs of advanced Grimm. The first 'base' we investigated was basically a heaping pile of rubble. I was supposed to be the leader for the mission. Instead, I let Coco make the call on whether or not to stay. Of course, she was going to say yes. I read all their files. Their team practically defines 'showing off.' Yet, I went with it like an idiot.

We searched toppled building after toppled building. There wasn't a clear sign that anyone had been there for years, and yet we kept going. It didn't help that Ozpin had told me not to disclose any information to team CFVY in the first place. It made them more like an escort group than a team of scouts. We were sent on the mission to search, but none of them had any clue what they were even looking for.

The first few days dragged on, but weren't totally terrible. Every day we would fight a few dozen Grimm. The sounds from our fighting meant that the next day would bring more, and in larger numbers. By day five, it was starting to get a little hard to manage. I could tell that they were starting to question the mission. They signed up for something that was supposed to last four days. We didn't have the food to last us too much longer, and I had told Fox and Coco to start conserving ammo on day three. To be honest, it was a blessing that Yatsuhashi could carry as many supplies as he did.

I think we all knew that we had to go back soon. It just seemed like everyone wanted to get something before we left. Anything to make the trip worthwhile. So, we continued to set up camp and ration supplies. The five days turned into ten so quickly. When I realized that we were nearly empty on supplies, I called for an evac. We were told that we would need to camp out for one more night, but the pick up would be there by morning. With that in mind, we set up camp one last time in a building that seemed to be the only one left standing. At about midnight I handed over the watch shift to Velvet so that I could get some sleep, but those ears of hers picked up some faint sounds coming from nearby.

After a week and a half of searching, we finally found something. Since it was so quiet during the night, Velvet was able to follow the noise to a collapsed room in the building next to the one we were camping in. There she found a room hidden in the rubble. We missed it because it was collapsed like every other building, but the rubble over this room was different. It look like it was caused from an explosion, rather than being trampled and torn apart. So, we had the fantastic idea to explore the place in the dead of night.

It was a death trap.

We found a computer that had survived whatever explosion had destroyed the place, but the second I touched it an alarm went off. I tried to grab whatever files the computer had, but in the few minutes that it took to download everything, the Grimm showed up. Each one of them kept trying to pile through the door. It was the only saving grace the building gave us. There was only the one way in. It took us a few hours of fighting to realize that it was also the only way out.

So, we were forced to stay there. Each one of us taking turns in pairs to try to stop the horde of Grimm that came to the sound of the alarm. Those poor kids weren't prepared for it. Sure, they can all handle themselves against individual Grimm. It was just never ending. I tried calling for an emergency evac, but the griffons in the air made it impossible for anyone to land. So, we were forced to keep fighting.

After a while, we started to realize that we were not going to be able to keep it up forever. There were just too many. In a last ditch attempt, Yatsuhashi and I decided to forgo our rest and use the time to fight them back instead of holding the line. As a team, we were able to fight out into the streets and clear a path. Everyone practically collapsed when we made it into the bullhead. I felt the most sorry for Velvet. I had noticed the pain she was in during the fight. During one of my rest periods, I decided to rip up a piece of my shirt to make a pair of makeshift earmuffs for her. I'm sure she'll still be hearing the ringing from the alarm for a few days.

The flight back was silent. There was no way any of them could've expected that. I tried cheering them up a bit by talking highly of their abilities. I singled out Yatsuhashi in particular for his final push with me. I couldn't have imagined that he would be able to do that after carrying the supplies over the last ten days. I told them that this mission could have been a total failure without him. I really meant it too. I think that little bit of pride was enough to get them to sleep for the rest of the flight.

I had expected to fly straight to Beacon. The kids needed rest and medical attention. Yet, the pilot forced a landing right next to home on Patch. I wanted to question it, but Ozpin walking out of the house answered most of my questions. He helped me get all of the students inside and comfortable. When they questioned why they would be staying there, Ozpin told them that what they had experienced was surely terrifying. As of right now, students from every academy are walking the halls of Beacon. A single rumor about their mission going south could spread a sense of worry and fear throughout the school. Because of that, he wanted to give them a day to recover, reflect, and collect themselves before returning to Beacon.

The thought of spreading fear among all the students seemed to halt any other questions. With their popularity around the school, there was no way rumors surrounding them wouldn't spread like wildfire. I was impressed though. He thanked them for all of their hard work, and apologized for the dangers they had gone through. It wasn't so much the message that was shocking, but more that it was coming from Ozpin himself. I don't think he had ever thanked our team in the years we worked for him.

From there, I made something for everyone to eat, and then set up the beds and couch for them to sleep for the night. Coco had originally claimed my room, but was immediately overruled. Surprising no one at all, Yatsuhashi didn't quite fit in Ruby's bed. There were a few laughs from the team, and it made me happy to know that despite everything they could still find good spirits. It wasn't until everyone went to sleep that Ozpin pulled me outside to have a talk.

I'm going to be on standby for a new mission. Apparently, the pilot had sent Ozpin the files team CFVY and I recovered. They were filled with information regarding the White Fang, including their seemingly new leader, Adam Taurus. Neither one of us think that he's capable of calling the shots. If anything, he's probably going to be around the same level as Torchwick. I didn't think it would be much, but this information does give us another person to look for. I don't think it was worth putting team CFVY through that mission, but it helped make everything feel like slightly less of a disaster.

I thought we were going to be done after that quick briefing, but Ozpin also mentioned something else. Qrow hasn't been in contact with him for a few weeks. He is worried something happened to him. I normally would've been worried about him too, but the fact that Ozpin actually 'worried' about anyone was news to me. So, without thinking about it, I told him that Qrow would be fine. I do still have that booze in the cabinet. Ozpin still didn't seem too sure.

When we finished our walk, he excused himself. I had completely forgotten the girl's dance was tomorrow. Of course, he was expected to attend. Before he could go, I told him to wait for me to grab something for the girls. This mission made me realize that I might not be home very often. It would be irresponsible of me not to send Zwei to the girls. I just don't think Ozpin expected the mail tube to be so heavy.

* * *

 **Author's Notes**

 **Hey everyone,**

 **I missed another day. This time due to my computer crashing and losing half the writing I put into this story so far.**

 **I did manage to write most of it back up, and make backups just to make sure it doesn't happen again. Hopefully the longer chapter makes up for it!**

 **As always, thank you so much for reading! I'm honored that so many people decided my story was worth their time. It makes writing it so much fun!**

 **~Sh1f7er**


	19. Entry 19

Entry 19

I just got the call. Last night during the dance someone broke into the Cross Continental Transmit system. Of course, it was Ruby who discovered the break in, and tried to stop the person responsible. I was fuming at first, but it was still calm compared to my reaction to the other news. While I was away on my mission with team CFVY, team RWBY decided it would be a good idea to investigate the criminal that nearly killed Blake the last time they met.

Ozpin had received reports of an Atlesian Paladin racing through the town, and the huntsman that tried to fight it. I yelled at him for that. He let the girls sneak into the city under his watch. Again. As if him being incompetent wasn't enough, now there's Ironwood with a city full of mechs that he apparently can't keep to himself. I asked what the point of bringing in an entire army was if it was going to serve our enemies more than us.

The sound of a hand slamming down told me I was on speaker. That's when I decided that Ironwood needed an earful. I started going out on missions again to help keep my girls safe. So far a majority of the problems have been from Atlas. First, Schnee dust shipments that apparently aren't guarded worth a damn. Next, there was the shoddy security guards at the CCT that did less to stop the one responsible than my fifteen year old daughter. Finally, prototype technology that somehow got stolen despite not being talked about in public. I said that I had worked with Ironwood before, but I had no idea he was planning on turning the entire Atlesian army into models instead of fighters.

I heard Ironwood yell back, but Ozpin switched the call away from speaker before he could get his words off. Apparently, he had learned his mistake. Still, he insisted that team RWBY fighting Torchwick and his stolen Paladin was completely outside of his knowledge. He knew that the fight had happened, but when authorities had made it to the seen, Torchwick was gone, and the Paladin was completely destroyed. He had his suspicions as to who could've caused it, but his talk with Ruby was what had let him know that they were involved.

They had done everything out of their own power. Only this time, they had won. Ozpin had technically followed his promise to me. It didn't stop me from being upset with him, but it's not like I could fully blame him for it any more.

That's when he told me that Ruby's information was why I would be going to the Southeast part of Vale. Apparently, team RWBY had come across some information during their investigation. I would've been proud, but I immediately recognized the problem. If they had gone to fight Torchwick in Vale, they would surely try and follow their only lead. No matter where it might bring them.

I'm positive that Ozpin recognized it too. He took my silence on the line as an opportunity to tell me what he had planned for their 'field-trip'. Every first year student is forced to go on some sort of trip out into the field during their second semester. It's the first time to really test what you've learned throughout the year. Ozpin mentioned that there were no planned missions available in the Southeast for first years. However, if team RWBY showed signs that they would investigate the area, he would send them there himself.

I made to argue, but he quickly explained himself. If they were to go out into the field, they would try to make their way to the Southeast themselves. They are going to follow their lead. They have proven that time and time again. So, instead of letting them sneak away again, he was proposing sending them there himself. This way they would be able to chase after their lead, but with a guide watching over them the entire time.

I can't say I liked the idea, but it was a lot better than the alternative. That's why I agreed to it. However, there was one condition. I got to pick out the guide.

So, that's roughly where things are at. RWBY is going to be heading towards Mountain Glenn, and I'm going to be slightly closer to the city in the Southeast. I can't say that I'm happy with it all, but if Ruby and Yang are constantly going to get involved with everything, the least I can do is stick around nearby. Plus, they'll have Oobleck with them. With the amount of coffee that man drinks, I don't think they'll be able to get out of his sight.

I just hope he is a bit better at leading a team than me. They left a few hours ago to head back to Beacon. Coco and Velvet seemed upset that I had made them miss the dance, but the other two seemed like they wanted to thank me. After all, they were in charge of planning it. Lucky for them, I'm told Yang and Weiss were able to throw everything together without them.

I was surprised to see how taken aback they were when I apologized for how terribly the mission went. Coco actually laughed. She told me that it was the hardest thing that they'd ever done. Velvet added that it was terrifying to see that many Grimm for so many hours. However, they said that this experience was the best one they had ever been a part of at Beacon. They were serious too. They had never struggled against Grimm like that before.

Coco told me that it was the best thing that her team could have been a part of at this point. In the two weeks they had spent in the field with me, they had recognized just how much they had yet to learn, and see. If anything, it sounded like they wanted to get out and start fighting more Grimm as soon as they could. Only this time they would have a much greater understanding of the risks that they were taking.

I wanted to tell them that they were stupid for wanting to take such risks. That they should stay in class, and wait to grow before even thinking about taking on Grimm themselves.

For that, I got another laugh. Their whole team just smiled and waved as they walked out of the house and towards their bullhead. I just stood in the door and watched them leave. What did Coco mean when she said they had signed up as huntsman for a reason?


	20. Entry 20

Entry 20

I was too late. I searched through every building on the Southeast side of Vale. I searched for the White Fang. I looked for anything that told me Torchwick might be there. I didn't find anything.

The girls did. They found the whole operation.

Of course, they'd be at Mountain Glenn. It seems so obvious. The entire place is abandoned. There's two entire cities to hide out in. The train tracks even run all the way to Vale from there. Dammit. I feel like such an idiot. I should have known, and I should've been there to help. Instead, I was busy looking through old abandoned warehouses.

Now the entire city is terrified. The train that Torchwick used blew a hole right in the middle of Vale. Grimm attacked civilians, destroyed stores, and proved that they are far closer to everyone than originally thought. It won't affect the huntsman population, but the civilians… They'll remember this for a long time. Oobleck and Ozpin agree with me there.

We met with each other today. I had no way of getting back to anyone the day the breach occurred. The city shut down its borders to prevent any Grimm from getting into the city after the terror struck everyone. I had to wait for Ozpin to extract me. With all the bullheads on the scene, I was basically stuck fighting any Grimm that tried getting near the city.

I protected the borders, but I should have been in Vale. Ozpin briefed me on what happened. Team RWBY had to fight off Grimm until everyone arrived. Oobleck was left in the tunnel to defeat the stolen Paladins that were on the train. The girls fought valiantly. They defended as many civilians as they could by taking the attention on themselves. They had no hope of defeating all those Grimm alone, but they chose to try anyway. That attempt bought enough time for reinforcements to arrive. Apparently, team CFVY and the Atlesian army were able to cut most of the Grimm down when they arrived. It allowed the teachers and other students the opportunity to clear out the ones that were going after the civilians.

It was a lot to take in at once. Ironwood had finally used his army appropriately. Ozpin told me that he had been more prepared due to recent criticism. Apparently, he was looking to prove someone wrong. Team CFVY had reportedly wiped out the Grimm that they fought. Ozpin mentioned that they appeared to be more confident than he had ever seen them. I found that very hard to believe based on where they started, but the video evidence Ozpin showed proved his point.

Then there was team RWBY.

Not only did they fight Roman Torchwick, again. They fought the White Fang, more Atlesian mechs, some Grimm, and what we are currently considering a trained assassin. They did all of that before holding their own against an army of Grimm in the city square.

They were stupid, reckless, and irresponsible. They put themselves in a position that most would consider suicidal for someone their age.

They were also courageous, fearless, strong, and victorious. So much so, that Oobleck even vouched for their abilities. He was upset with himself when he said it. He even apologized for not being able to keep them safe in a way that I would have liked. After hearing it all, I couldn't really fault him, or anyone for that matter.

I'm upset that I wasn't able to help. I'm angry that the girls keep finding themselves in these situations. I'm terrified that they might find themselves in a position that they won't be able to get out of. Despite all of that, they still manage to go on with it all.

They've grown. I think my time with team CFVY helped me see it more clearly. They signed up to be huntsman. That isn't a job that will ever be considered safe. They know it. Every mission is one that can be their last, but they keep going. It's so honorable of them to put others in front of themselves like that. It was the same way with Summer. It was the same way with all of us, honestly. I just see the dangers that come with it now.

Am I being selfish?

They have their dreams of going out into the world and fighting the Grimm as huntresses. They both have their reasons for it. There's no question in my mind why they both want to follow that path. Yet, here I am doing everything in my power to try to stop them.

Maybe this was all a mistake. Going back to help Ozpin. Trying to stop the girls from getting involved. So far, I've failed in every regard. They keep following their path. The only thing that's changed is me getting other people involved. I risked team CFVY's lives with that mission. They don't see it that way, but they all could have died. It would have been my fault. All because I can't let go.

I don't know. I need some time to think. Luckily, the girls will be back home for the semester soon. I'll tell Ozpin that I won't be going on any missions while they're home. I'm sure there will be something part time at Signal that I can do in the meantime. After this whole event, I'm sure kids of civilians and huntsman alike will want some kind of extra training on how to defend themselves. At the very least, I can help them with that.


	21. Entry 21

Entry 21

It's been a blessing to have the girls back home. Every morning I wake up to laughter, and the smell of a freshly made breakfast. The two of them have become such good friends at Beacon. That's not to say that they weren't before, but there's another element there. Some sort of bond that only teammates who fight together can share.

Yang still messes with Ruby constantly. I think her older sister mentality has only continued to grow from the time they left home. The only difference is that Ruby seems to occasionally fight back now. It took me a little while to notice it, but Ruby has been talking. I mean, talking like a confident individual. She used to stumble upon herself all the time. The only 'person' that she had an easy time talking with was her scythe. Now she holds a conversation over just about anything. You can still see the shyness, but I think her time as a leader is helping her grow out of it.

At first, they wouldn't tell me about any of their 'missions'. I tried probing Ruby for information. I wanted to see how far I could take her new talkative attitude. I could tell she wanted to tell me all about them, but Yang's glare clearly forbid any mention of them around me. I think that was her way of trying not to worry me. I believe part of her thought I'd try to punish them for some of the things they did. Part of me feels like I should've. It would've been selfish though.

How can I tell a huntress in training that going out and risking her life to save others is reckless and stupid? That's their job. That's what they've chosen to do. I can't keep trying to fight them on that. They've made up their mind.

I just wanted to let them know that I'm scared.

It's so damn selfish, but I'm scared. I don't want to lose them. In the few days that they've been home, I've been so happy. Seeing them both smile and laugh. Seeing Ruby confident. Seeing Yang boast about her friends. I don't want that to ever end. I love them both so much.

I just wish it wasn't this hard. I can see the changes both of them have gone through in just a few months. My little girls are becoming huntresses right in front of me. It's the one thing both of them dreamed of, but it's also the one thing that I'm afraid of them becoming.

I can't keep feeling that way. I've missed too much of their lives to give them up now. I need to let them grow, and support them. I want to hear about all the adventures they go on. Whether they end in success, or total failure. I can't have them thinking that I'm too frail to hear about the dangers they face every day.

I guess that's why I lied to them. I couldn't let them know that I've been trying to protect them all this time. I just wanted to be included in their lives. So, I told them that Ozpin had contacted me regarding their 'activities' outside of the school. I told them that I knew they had gone after Torchwick, and that they had been the team that was sent to Mountain Glenn. I even mentioned my knowledge of Ruby's fight at the CCT.

They were both stunned. It took a minute for either one of them to say a thing. They had clearly decided that they weren't going to tell me anything before coming home. So, in an attempt to get them to talk, I tried something different. I faked a smile and congratulated them on stopping Torchwick. It had been all over the news after the cleanup from the breach. The news had looked for anything that they could spin as positive from the event in order to try to calm the public. When word got out that a team of first years had defended the city long enough for reinforcements, the local news jumped at them for an interview.

When she finally spoke, Yang asked if I was angry with them. She saw right past the fake smile and congratulations. Ruby looked like she was about to cry. She was so full of excitement over the past two semesters just a few minutes before. At that moment, she was horror stuck.

The lie didn't work. It was stupid to think it would. All truths come out eventually. So, I told them that I wasn't angry. Not really. I was just scared that one of them might get hurt. Yang argued back saying that she technically needs to get hurt to be at her strongest. That wasn't the point though. The point was that I was on the sidelines hearing all about the things they do at school. How, as students, they continuously put themselves in a position where they could easily be seriously injured, or worse…

Ruby did start crying after that. Yang eyes went red, and she went to comfort her sister. She glared at me as if I had no reason to bring something like that up. Ruby stopped her though. She ran around the table and gave me a hug. She wrapped her arms around my waist and started crying into my shirt.

She apologized. She sobbed while telling me how sorry she was for making me feel that way. She knew that she hadn't listened to me, and was so worried that I'd be angry. It was just what she thought was the right thing to do as a huntress.

And I couldn't fault her for it. I knew it was true. Ruby has such a kind heart. I knew she would never do something to upset me on purpose. She only ever tries to do good. So, I did what I thought was best to show her that. I ran my fingers through her hair. Gently scratching the top of her head while she sobbed into my chest. It was what Summer always did to calm Ruby as a child.

We just stayed like that for a little while. I just let her cry until all the tears were gone. Yang was silent. She just watched the whole thing as if she was in a trance.

I took my time to find the right words to say. I decided in that moment that I couldn't keep up being how I was. I just needed a minute to make sure they knew that.

When I finally spoke, I told them that I was proud of both of them. Not just as a father looking at how much his kids have grown, but as a man that sees the selfless choices they continue to make. I told them that I knew they would find themselves in danger throughout their lives. They were going to be huntresses. There is never going to be a time where their lives aren't on the line. I told them that it terrifies me. That so long as the two of them are out in the world fighting, I will be thinking of them. I also mentioned how strong the two of them have become, and how much confidence that gives me that they will continue to grow and be the best huntresses Remnant has ever seen.

My one request was that they be safe.

I wanted so much more, but I knew that it was all they could truly promise me.

Yang joining our hug was my answer.

* * *

 **Author's Notes**

 **Hey everyone,**

 **I did end up posting an update yesterday, but due to my wonky posting schedule I'm not sure if an update went out. Just wanted to give a fair warning to those that have been reading daily!**

 **As always, thank you for reading!**

 **~Sh1f7er**


	22. Entry 22

Entry 22

The girl's break before the Vytal festival went by too quickly. Yang already left to head back to Beacon, and I'll be taking Ruby back tomorrow afternoon. I asked why she didn't want to travel with Yang, but I should have guessed it was so that she could go see Summer.

There was a time that Ruby went to go see her every day. At the time, Yang and I didn't feel like it was healthy, but Ruby always came back feeling better afterwards. I don't know if it's because of the memories, or the fact that she could finally let everything out. Either way, it makes her happy. So tomorrow, I'll go with her so that she can talk about all her adventures at Beacon.

I finally got to hear them myself. After our talk, the girls told me everything that had gone on at school. According to Ruby, the most important thing that happened was finding out that Blake was a faunus. It was just after they found out that the events at the docks took place, and therefore everything else after it. They honestly had no idea that she was hiding cat ears behind that bow of hers. Yang got mad when I laughed at them for it. She asked how she was supposed to know, and I pointed to the framed picture I had of team RWBY in the living room. She palmed her face when she saw how obvious it looked now that she knew.

It was Yang's turn to talk at that point. She had been involved with starting Beacon's largest food fight in the history of the school. When I asked how she knew that, Ruby mentioned that every plate, table, and soda machine in the entire cafeteria had been destroyed at some point. Without destroying the building, it would've been hard to top. That, and the fact that Yang "got her butt whooped by Nora who sent her to outer space". Yang was quick to mention that they still won.

They were halfway through their tale of the battle on the train from Mountain Glenn to Vale when Yang locked up mid story. I was so busy daydreaming about Zwei tackling a mech after being launched at it by Oobleck that I almost didn't notice. Ruby even seemed concerned. Apparently, Yang had fought a girl with mismatched brown and pink eyes and hair, and had lost. I guess that was the 'assassin' that Oobleck had mentioned during my briefing. I had no idea that Yang had attempted to fight her, much less lost. That didn't make sense though because Yang was still alive and telling me this story.

I asked her to try to explain how she made it out alive. She couldn't though. At least, not in a way that made sense to her. She had been knocked out during her fight. When she came to, the girl she had been fighting was gone, but someone new was there. It had been fuzzy, but Yang said she saw a lot of red, a flash, and then whoever was there was gone.

I didn't say anything about it. I just let Yang continue. I don't know if I even could say anything. I have no doubt in my mind who that was. I don't understand why she had been there though. It makes me feel like she's been watching this entire time. I didn't think she cared enough to. She had the ability to come back at any time. She's always chosen to stay away. I guess that means it was Yang's 'one'. The same one time event I used on my first day at Beacon.

I'm not sure how to feel about it. She saved Yang. I should be thanking her for that. At the same time, Yang is her daughter. Saving her after a lifetime of abandonment doesn't make up for anything.

I think both the girls could tell I had zoned out because they stopped their story to ask about me. It caught me off guard a bit. They asked about the missions that I had gone on while they were at school. I almost panicked because I thought they knew. To buy a bit more time, I asked what they meant by 'missions'. I think I showed off a bit too much relief when Ruby mentioned my letter that I had sent with Zwei. I completely forgot that I had told them I would be going out again.

So I told them what happened on that mission. I was to go beyond the wall to clear out Grimm. A few areas on the perimeter of Vale had mentioned that there was an increase in Grimm activity, and they weren't sure they would be able to deal with it without the aid of a huntsman.

Ruby was ecstatic, and Yang looked like she was in disbelief. Ruby practically latched onto my hip and begged for details. I took a seat in the living room, and I told them all about my adventures beyond the wall. I may, or may not, have left a few details out of the story. Like team CFVY, or any mention of Ozpin. Those weren't necessary. I just wanted to let them know that I could still fight.

They both seemed pretty impressed by my stories, if I do say so myself. Yang did mention that she could probably do better than 'an old man'. I hope the bruises she got from our spar that night help her remember her manners around me. I may be getting older, but she has a long way to go before I let that mouth of hers run off without a proper retaliation.

I'm going to miss them both so much.

The Vytal festival is starting though. They need to get ready for it. Team RWBY is going to be representing Beacon. It would be a shame if they were eliminated early. Even if they are a first year team, I think they have the potential to go far. After all, I helped teach them. They better do well!

In the meantime, I'll be in Vale with Zwei. I got into contact with Ozpin the other day. He asked me to stay in Vale as a bit of extra security. Apparently, Ironwood was put in charge of that area after the breach. I get the feeling Ozpin doesn't fully trust the general. I don't really either, which is why I accepted the job. I figured signal is going to be out of class during the festival. While I can still do training with some of the students, I don't think it will be a full time thing. Outside of that, with the girls gone I don't really have too much of a reason to stay on Patch. At least in the city I'll be able to catch some of the matches.


	23. Entry 23

Entry 23

Somethings wrong. Yang was doing so well in her match. Something happened. It had to. Yang would never attack an innocent person like that. She's got a temper, but there's no way that she would do something like that. Especially in front of so many people. No, something is definitely wrong.

At this moment, I'm being sent out to the outskirts of Vale. All huntsmen in the area are. Amity Colosseum is currently a floating bait for all the Grimm. What happened during the fight shocked everyone. Even the huntsmen are on edge based on the looks I've been getting in this bullhead. They're questioning what Ozpin is teaching the students, and I guarantee they're all wondering what kind of monster Yang is that she would attack a disarmed person.

They don't know her though. They don't understand that her and her team have risked their lives more than most huntsmen, and they're only in their first year at Beacon. If they knew half the things I know about her there would be no question that something else caused all of this.

I just don't know what. I saw the fight. She clearly broke that boy's leg. I just… That's not her.

I should be going to talk with her. I tried finding out where they were going to send her immediately after I saw it. He stopped me though. Qrow found me. I don't know how long he's been here, but the fact that he knew to look for me in Vale speaks enough about what he's been up to.

All this time away, and the first thing he did was yell at me to go help the others. I told him that the other huntsmen could handle themselves. That Yang needed someone to be there for her. That I needed to be there for her.

He wouldn't get out of my way. He just kept telling me that they needed as many huntsmen at the border as they could get. That they needed me out there. I asked him why he wasn't going if that was the case. I should've known better. He was needed by Ozpin. He couldn't tell me why, but said that if it were up to him, he would be helping to set up for when the Grimm arrive.

I told him that I'd been working with Ozpin again. That I knew what was going on. Anything for him to get out of the way.

He asked if I had been to the basement recently. I haven't been down there since our missions with STRQ. When I answered that I hadn't, he told me that there was too much to catch me up on, and not enough time. He said that if I really wanted to protect the girls, I would help get the tournament going again. Anything at all to take the cities attention away from the incoming Grimm would help. The faster everyone started focusing on entertainment and fun, the faster everyone would forget about Yang.

I wanted to fight him on it, but he wouldn't back down. Whatever Ozpin had him doing made it impossible for him to leave. The look in his eyes was serious too. Every huntsman fighting off the Grimm would make a difference.

I just needed to know Yang would be okay. So, I made him promise to go see her. I didn't know what to tell him to say, but I wanted to make sure there would be someone there for her.

It made me feel a bit better when he agreed, but even now I'm worried. Ozpin is keeping more secrets from me. I don't know what's down there, but whatever it is, it's enough to force Qrow to stand nearby. He already has Glynda, Ironwood, and himself. What could it possibly be that he feels the need for more help?


	24. Entry 24

Entry 24

Everything happened so fast. We were fighting the horde of Grimm that came from Mountain Glenn for hours on end. We had so many huntsmen, but it wasn't nearly enough. Every hour we lost somebody else. It only took one mistake to be overrun. There was just so many of them. We tried retreating further into the city to buy us some time, but it was never enough. The Grimm just kept pushing forward.

We were losing. I think everyone in charge of the festival started to notice. It's why they attempted to start another match so quickly. I guess they thought that anything to distract everyone from the attack would help. It was supposed to be the other way around. We were supposed to take the stress and fear from the people.

Then the match started. It was broadcasted through just about every screen in Remnant. Even from the abandoned parts of the city, we could hear the screams from what happened to Ruby's friend. And then there was the speech. The woman who had been at the CCT, Cinder, spoke of how it wasn't an accident. How it was Ozpin and Ironwood's fault that all of this happened.

It was chaos. We had to retreat to the center of the city and the fairgrounds. We needed to form a landing zone for all of the bullheads coming from Amity. The only way we could do that was with every available huntsman holding a perimeter together. We tried so hard to save as many people as we could. There was just so many and so much panic.

Every small victory was turned on its head. We finally got the Grimm under control, but then the White Fang joined them. We thought they were going to be the only problem, but then the Atlas androids turned on us. Their visors turned red and they started attacking everyone. Each loss just added to the screams and terror from the civilians.

Then the ground shook.

I have never seen a Grimm so large. It flew straight from Mountain Glenn and over the city. As it flew, it added more Grimm to the battle. I didn't think we could have stopped it. Not without every huntsman we had focusing on it. It was decided that we needed to flee the city. We were actually going to give up Vale.

Then there was a flash.

At the time, I had no idea what happened. I just knew it looked familiar somehow. The light engulfed the CCT standing over Beacon, and the giant Grimm along with it. It felt like time stopped. It wasn't until I remembered why the light looked so familiar that I dropped everything and started running towards Beacon.

I fought through so many Grimm. It took me so long to make it over to the school. Beacon was in tatters. I feared I was too late.

I was.

Qrow wasn't though. He already had a bullhead ready to send a group to the hospital. He had Ruby in his arms. I practically collapsed when I saw that. I thought she was gone. I thought Ruby was gone. I thought that Qrow was going to tell me that he was too late. It was all replaying over in my head.

It didn't happen.

She was okay. He had found her on the tower. No real injuries on her body. Just complete exhaustion. She just needed to rest and recover, but she was going to be safe.

I was so happy to hear it, but was too naïve to notice that Qrow wasn't. He wore a completely different look when he set her down in the bullhead. Right next to her sister.

Yang… She… She lost her arm during the battle. Her friend told us that her teammate, Blake, had managed to carry her to safety before collapsing herself. The one that did this had hurt her too. She had been stabbed in the stomach. I asked where she went, but the boy just said that she ran. He didn't know where she planned on going, but didn't want to leave Yang until he knew she would be okay.

Yang was laying there in the bullhead with medical staff all around trying to help. Qrow had to hold me back. I wanted to be there. I wanted to hold Yang and know she was okay. She was bleeding out right in front of me. Instead, I was forced into a seat next to her. I had to watch the entire way to the makeshift hospital.

I didn't know what to do. I felt like I was going to be sick. I think the person next to me could sense my panic. They put a hand over mine and gripped it.

It was their other teammate, Weiss. She had the same look of fear in her eyes that I must have had. The tears streaming down her face were definitely the same. In the moment, I didn't know what to do. So, I cried with her. She wrapped her arms around me and let it all out. I just held her and let her cry. She was their teammate. The way that Ruby and Yang talked about her and Blake, they might as well be family. In that moment, I think we both decided to treat each other like family too.

The plane ride was long. At some point Weiss fell asleep in my arms. She must have been exhausted too. If not from the battle, then from all the crying. I let her sleep there until we made it to our destination. It was an established safe zone in Vale where everyone was able to fend off the Grimm. With the CCT down, it took us a while to find the exact location. Everything below us looked the same. Dark, gray, and destroyed.

When we made it, I made sure to help get Yang on a stretcher, and inside the building. We had to rush her to the emergency surgery room. I stayed next to her the entire time. Even while barely conscious, the doctors asked me to hold her hand. They needed to operate immediately. It was going to take time, and would be painful. Without pain meds, I was going to be her stress relief.

Yang screamed through the whole thing. It went on for two hours. They had to repair everything in her arm before her aura regenerated. If they were too slow, it could heal it incorrectly, or cause her lingering pain where her bone had shattered. Her hand attempted to break mine as it went on. It didn't matter. So long as she could make it through, I knew I would be okay.

When it finished, Yang collapsed. They wrapped her up in a sling, but that's all they could do. I carried her to the resting area myself. The doctors wanted to check up on my injuries, but I wouldn't leave. Instead, they gave me a chair to sit next to her bed.

I'm going to stay here for the night, and leave for Patch with Yang in the morning. We can't take up space here with all the people who need medical attention in Vale. Qrow already took Ruby back to Patch so she could rest, and I was told that Weiss was picked up by her father during the surgery.

I'm just not sure what to do when we make it home. I'm still not sure what happened to Ruby. That flash of light was definitely from her. I can't imagine what happened for her to do it though. It always took so much out of Summer. I'm sure Ruby is going to be in bed for a few days.

Then there's Yang. I can only imagine what she's going to go through when she wakes up. She was in so much pain… But she's alive. They both are. They both made it through everything.

I couldn't protect them. No one could. I can only help. I don't know what it's going to take to do that at this point. I just know that this time I'll be there for them.


	25. Entry 25

Entry 25

It's been a few days since Ruby woke up. She's been bedridden the entire time. Well, maybe that's not entirely true. She can walk at this point, but I haven't been letting her. It sounds like all the muscles in her body were strained after what happened at the tower. She was yelling at me because I'm 'overprotective' and that she can 'feed herself'. I'm pretty sure she's only partially serious though. It's not like I'm never going to let her move again. I just want her to take this cautiously.

All medical experts have been working day and night to help everybody that came from Vale and Amity. One small injury now might not seem like such a big deal, but there's no sense in risking anything that can be healed with time and rest. Unless that suddenly changes, a few more days in bed won't hurt her.

Then there's Yang. She hasn't even tried getting out of bed yet. I know she can, but it's almost like she's separating herself from us. I know things are going to take a while to go back to being normal. Well, maybe 'normal' isn't the right word to use. Her arm is gone. Things are never going to be normal in the way that she remembers, but her new version of normal is going to take a while to get used to.

I've heard her shuffling around every night. She's got to be having nightmares like the ones Ruby used to have. Back then, Yang would hold her throughout the night to make her feel safe. Yang hardly lets us into her room though. I keep on trying to think of things to help, but until she moves out of her room I don't think there's too much I can do. I'll just have to be patient. It took me a much longer time than just a few days. I'm sure Yang's situation will be no different.

In the meantime, I'll have Qrow around to help me out a bit. He's been going into Vale to fight during the day while I've been taking care of the girls. That Grimm that Ruby froze on the tower is still alive. I don't know how, but it keeps attracting more Grimm towards it. It's like its presence alone is enough to call them to its location. How it does it doesn't really matter though. It means that a constant stream of Grimm are always running towards what's left of Beacon.

With the sheer amount of Grimm that come, I don't know how we are going to reclaim Vale. I know the professors at Beacon have been attempting to help put things back together. I just don't know how anyone will be able to get control over the situation without the help of another kingdom. We just don't have the manpower after the attack. The real problem is that we can't even call for help. The CCT was destroyed. We have no real way of getting into contact with the rest of Remnant.

At this point, we just recently got the local communication back up and running. It's not much, but it's a start. Getting news out to everyone is going to be important. Having families together, and evacuation plans set will be a huge relief on the people.

It didn't seem to relieve Qrow at all though. While he has been helping in Vale, his primary goal has been to find clues on Ozpin. If what we were told about Ozpin is true, Qrow is probably going to be headed for Mistral soon. He's going to need help from all the headmasters if this situation is going to get any better. I mean, it's not like it could get too much worse.

He had his talk with Ruby when she woke up. He asked me to leave so they could have it as just the two of them. I'm not entirely sure what he told her. Whatever it was, it brought her further into this mess. He promised that he would let me keep them out of it. After everything that happened with Summer and Raven, we both agreed that the girls didn't need to be a part of it all.

Yet, here we are.

I can't fully blame him for it. Things are bad. What Ruby did is going to paint a target on her back. She needs to learn about all the things that make her special, and just how dangerous they are. Not telling her anything isn't going to get us anywhere. I just struggle with deciding how much is enough, and how much should be kept a secret.

This isn't her fight. She doesn't need to get involved in it. Telling her everything will make sure that she does. There are evils out there that she won't be able to beat. She's definitely grown, but that doesn't make her a fully trained huntress by any means.

The good news is that I have some time. Winter is going to be coming up real quick. With the cold and snow, there won't be too much else to do besides talk. That should give me the chance to start letting her know about things one step at a time. If she has the time to process the information, maybe it will allow her to ask questions instead of chasing after answers. If Yang is up for it, I'll be able to include her too.


	26. Entry 26

Entry 26

Ruby left home. It came out of nowhere. Well, maybe not nowhere. Ever since she woke up, Ruby has been wanting to get back out into the world. I expected her to give me a warning though. Instead, she left a note saying that she was going to be heading for Mistral. A note. Not a goodbye. Not a hug. A note. I guess that's why it took me off guard.

I had just made her lunch when I saw it. It only took me a minute to realize she was gone. I guess I figured it out so quickly because it's something I'd seen before with Yang. I ran downstairs, grabbed my coat, and almost broke through the door to catch up to her. I actually would've broken through the door had Qrow not opened it just before I barged through. He swore at me for elbowing him in the gut, but it was his fault for being anywhere near the vicinity of the doorway. I didn't even expect him to be home.

He told me that he had found what he was looking for at Beacon. The fact that Ozpin's cane was hanging from his belt answered my next question before it came out of my mouth. That, of course, meant that Qrow would be leaving soon. Before I could get a word in he pushed into the house and started going through all the cupboards. He found his dusty bottle of booze buried in the back of one, and began filling his flask with it.

I know it was his gift, and that he has every right to finish it all. It's just that the bottle has been a sort of symbol for me over the past years. As weird as it is to say, it always reminded me that things were going to be okay. Qrow would never leave a gift like that behind. I'm sure he has more than enough lien to buy himself some. I just know that he's more sentimental than he would like everyone to believe.

That just made him finishing it off a bit more jarring. Whatever journey he was about to go on was going to be harsh. Harsh enough that he realized he might not be coming back.

He was about to leave, but I stopped him at the door. He's family too. I wasn't about to let him leave without a goodbye. So, I stood in the doorway and asked where he was planning on going next. He told me that he would be heading the same place as Ruby. Haven Academy.

I was a bit taken aback. Ruby had never gone much further than Vale, but now she was heading off to Mistral. I panicked a bit thinking about what would make her think to travel so far, but then I realized that Qrow was planning on going with her. He had told her where he was going during their conversation.

I was about to get angry with him, but he just laughed when he realized I had figured it out. He told me not to worry. He was planning on traveling with her. He pointed out that Ruby would always try to leave because she wants to stop the dangers of the world. She had chosen to be a huntress. He mentioned that we were both young and naïve once. Being in the same situation, we both would have done the same thing as Ruby. We would go out and fight.

I couldn't argue with him. He was right. It's the whole reason team STRQ went on half the missions that it did. So, I let it go. Instead, I asked why he wasn't with her now. He simply pointed to the tracks in the snow. She had friends with her.

He let me know that he had been watching from the tree line. Two boys and a girl had been waiting for her to get her things. Based on their descriptions, I have to assume that those 'kids' must be Jaune, Nora, and Ren from the stories that Ruby and Yang had told me.

It relieved me a bit to know she would be in good company. It still didn't tell me why Qrow hadn't decided to join them though. His argument was that he wanted them to do it by themselves. If they knew he was there to help, they wouldn't learn too much on the journey. In a way, he was taking a similar approach to what I had done.

I meant to tell him that it might not work based on my experience with that method, but he also pointed towards himself. He had been doing this for a few years now. I had tried while out of practice. That was about the time that I agreed to his plan.

He made to leave again, and he seemed a bit peeved when I stopped him one more time. I wanted him to go see Yang before he left. She's been… quiet. To this day she hasn't wanted to leave her bed. Not even my panicked running through the house made her get up. I just wanted to make sure she could hear someone else talk before she was stuck with just me.

Qrow reluctantly agreed and went to her room. I was waiting for some heartfelt goodbye. I shouldn't have. Instead he told her that he was going to be leaving. That he was going to be protecting Ruby on a long trip to Mistral.

She hardly said anything back.

The 'heartfelt goodbye' never had a chance. At the lack of response, Qrow said something akin to "I didn't realize that sword had cut off your legs too. Maybe when you're done sitting on your ass you can help your dad pick up the place."

It quickly turned into a shouting match while Yang stormed across the room. She made it to her door when Qrow looked at me and pointed at her. He joked that he had gotten her out of bed for something other than going to the bathroom in a single conversation.

I think he wanted a bruise on the arm to remember her by. If not, he has one for it now.

It was the first time that I had been happy to see Yang with red eyes. It meant that she was feeling some sort of emotion. It was a bit weird that she had gotten herself so worked up that she was shaking though. Overall, I think she felt a little better after socking him in the arm. When she calmed down she gave him a hug and asked him to promise that he would keep Ruby safe. He just laughed and asked if she knew who she was talking to.

I chose not to say anything. Instead, I gave him a quick hug too. He almost punched me in the face for it, but I made sure to make him aware that it was for Ruby. He is supposed to pass on that message for me. Considering she didn't give me a hug before she left, he better. For her sake.


	27. Entry 27

Entry 27

It's been a long few months. After Ruby and Qrow left, Yang started coming out of her bedroom a bit more often. First, she would come down for breakfast. Then it became a few times to help me with things around the house. Now finally she started talking with me each day.

I can only imagine what she's been going through. She seems scared. It's not something I've ever seen in her before. I can understand it though. When Summer past I was scared too. I locked up. It's hard to admit, but it's the truth. Even reading the old journals I can remember the things I did. Or, more accurately, didn't do.

I was their father after the girls both lost their mom. Yet, I was the one who broke down and cut everyone off. I was so scared of losing more, that I lost myself. If it weren't for Yang being the amazing person Summer raised her to be, I don't know where the girls would be at this point.

Now Yang went further than me. She lost both of her moms, and a part of herself. Physically and mentally.

It makes everything going on with her that much worse. She was so strong and vibrant. Now that's all gone. It's taken her this long to sit on the couch with me. What is it going to take to get her to go out in the world again? Will she even want to be a huntress after all of this?

I don't know. I don't want to think about it. The only thing I know is that I'm here with her now. We have all the time in the world to build her back up. She helped me. She showed patience no child should ever have to have for a parent. She deserves tenfold the amount of effort from me.

I really need to work on that patience a bit though. I'm beginning to think giving her the arm from Atlas so quickly was a bad idea. Of course she was going to reject it. It's got to be scary to realize that a mechanical part is required to replace an appendage. She's only just started doing chores with one arm. She's got to feel things out a bit more before she's ready.

That's okay though. She'll wear it when she's ready. It isn't something that I could ever force her into.

It is a wonderful gift from Ironwood though. It came with two letters. One for me, the other for Yang. Mine talked about how Ironwood wanted to have the arm made for Yang as a gift for the both of us. He wrote that he knew how it felt to lose a piece of himself. That every day was, and sometimes still is, a struggle because of it. However, he said that if Yang has the same tenacity that I showed while calling him out, then she will put it to good use.

That isn't even a question to me. If Ironwood knew her like I do, he would understand that Yang practically defines tenacity. All those years of having to stand up to her as a teenager are half the reason I didn't twice about to snapping back at him for his shoddy security. Based on that, I would argue Yang earned this in more ways than one.

Yang's letter said that she fought admirably during the fall of Beacon. Risking her life to save her teammate was something that only a true huntress would have done. He even added that everyone should look to her as a role model for selfless actions in, and out of, the field of battle.

When she read it, I could tell it sparked something in her. I'm just not sure if it was good or bad. Her disqualification during the Vytal festival is clearly still affecting her. I've heard her struggling with it in her bed at night. I even heard her saying "He attacked me" before I was able to wake her up the last time. I was hoping that showing her the letter might ease some of that burden. I'm still trying to decide if it helped, or just added to the memories of that moment.

Even now, nobody outside of Vale knows what happened to her. To them, she must still seem cruel for attacking an injured opponent. None of them saw the aftermath of Beacon though. Nobody saw her fighting through Grimm to protect civilians. Nobody knows that she almost sacrificed herself for another. Instead, she's going to be remembered for that one moment.

Thinking on it that way, there's no way the letter helped. If anything, it's just a reminder of the rest of the world. I should've thought of that first. Just another stupid mistake while trying to move too quickly.

I should tell Port and Bart to come over another time. I was hoping that seeing someone else might clear my head and give me some ideas. I figured that seeing her professors would help Yang out a bit, but that would just be pushing things again. If Bart starts attempting to ask her questions about what happened, I'm not sure how Yang will react. I'll have to try to get ahold of them tomorrow morning. I can't put Yang through that so quickly.


	28. Entry 28

Entry 28

This was a big week. Yang decided that she was going to try out her new arm. She even seems to like it! Granted, she said that it feels weird after all this time of having nothing there. It'll take some time for it to be 'comfortable' to use. That's okay though! She's trying it out. That's what matters most.

I do have to say, that thing hurts. It was bad enough to spar with her when she was just using her fists. Now it feels like I'm getting whacked by a steal beam when she connects. That's not to mention when she accidentally fires it. Somehow, Ironwood's scientists found a way to fit a gun inside of the wrist. Essentially, her arm has a built in Ember Celica that she is still learning how to use. Between those two things, it's safe to say that I've been attempting to dodge as much as possible.

Even then, it's surprising how good it feels to be sparring with her again. I couldn't have done it without Bart and Port. When I asked them to give it another few days, they actually fought me. Apparently, they had been in need of a small vacation for a long time. They have been working non-stop since the start of the girl's time at Beacon. I hadn't really thought about it, but they were absolutely right. Everyone has been working crazy hours in an attempt to get Vale back under control. I didn't think I had much of a right to deny them some down time where they could talk about something other than work.

That being said, the very first thing Bart asked for when he came over was some time to read over this journal. I told him it was personal, and that he shouldn't be going through my things. I thought he was going to respect that, but a few minutes later Zwei came down the stairs with it in his mouth. That little traitor…

I thought it was going to be more work for Bart, but he genuinely wanted to read it to see how I was doing. I think he understands that he gets a bit overzealous when it comes to questioning. I assumed he just wanted some other way to see what was going on in my life while I caught up with Port.

I say 'caught up', but considering Bart finished the damn thing in about two minutes I didn't make it very far. It's probably for the best. Port wanted to tell me the story of how they fought off a hundred griffons in Amity Coliseum so that the students could run to safety. It would have been an amazing tale.

If it was told by anyone else.

I think Bart was satisfied with what he read. He did yell at me for not filling out an entry every day like I had promised, but immediately moved on to tell me that I had made good progress. I was a bit confused at that. He said 'progress' like it was some massive feat. In about ten years, I've gone from nothing to at least being active. I suppose it's 'progress', but I argued that I still had a long way to go before getting back to where I was on team STRQ.

He stopped me there though. He wanted to lecture me, but Port jumped in too. Between the two of them, they explained that I was never going to be the same person that I was when I was a part of team STRQ. I thought that meant that they believed I would never get my confidence back, but they had an answer for that too. They said that I wouldn't ever be the same way I was on team STRQ because it isn't me anymore.

Back then I had a team. I had people to fall back on that knew all of my secrets. Good and bad. I risked my life every day to fight in battles that I could never fully understand with them by my side. I did it because my life WAS my team. That's not the case anymore.

Instead, I have two beautiful girls that are about to experience all of that and more.

Bart wanted to read my journal to make sure I understood that. He wanted to see that I recognized how to stop being a huntsman and start being a father. Or, more accurately, that those two things don't have to be so mutually exclusive. I've been trying to protect the girls by doing the only thing I knew how. Fighting. At this point, that's not what they need. They are going to be able to fight for themselves. Right now, they need a dad.

A friend to talk to like Bart and Port were doing for me.

Writing it all down, it doesn't seem like new information, but it did help all the same. I think I would've come to understand it in time, but the two of them wanted to give me that last little push to speed things up. Nothing too major, but something to help me all the same.

It made the rest of our conversation that much more welcoming. We shared stories of the past and laughed together. It was the first time I laughed with friends like that in such a long time. It got to the point that I almost forgot why I had them come over in the first place. However, I was reminded when I heard a little sniggering from the corner of the kitchen.

Yang had joined us at some point. I missed when, but I'm sure she heard something she shouldn't have. Bart and Port made sure to include her right away. Based on our earlier conversation, I figured it was part of their plan. So, I just went with it. I kept telling the story of Qrow in a skirt. I figured it would be good to get a few laughs out of Yang. I thought that was why they wanted her there. That was until they interrupted me by bringing up Raven.

I think I got a bit more defensive than I should have. I didn't want to talk about her in front of Yang. Everyone else felt otherwise. They all said that Yang was an adult and could handle it. I don't know why, but I snapped a bit at that. I told Yang that she wasn't ready for the real world. I wanted to make sure she knew that she was still a little girl. I might have even thrown a comment in about her arm…

She laughed.

I don't know why, but it made me laugh too. I guess I got a taste of how Qrow feels like all the time. Yang even punched me in the arm like she always did to him after one of his snide comments. After my brashness, we both couldn't help but laugh even more when the other two tried to tiptoe their way into the conversation.

It was there that we were actually able to talk with Yang. I was her dad, and they were her professors, but we talked like friends. We weren't trying to push her. We all just wanted to understand how she felt. I think she understood that because she was honest with us in a way that I had never been outside of this journal. She told us that she was scared of the arm. That she kept hearing how everyone thought she would need time to get back to normal when this was her normal now.

I didn't know what to say to that. I just told her that I would be there for her. I wanted to make sure she knew it. I think the other two agreed as well since they tried to calm her down by making fear a bit less scary. I was surprised that they did it by talking about Port's fear of mice. I've got to hand it to them, they really do make great teachers.

From there we just chatted as a group. I don't know where all the time went, but before I knew it Yang was going to bed and Bart and Port were getting ready to head back towards Vale. Despite having to go back to work, they seemed happy with themselves. I can only assume it's because of the smile on Yang's face when she went to bed.

Before they left, they asked about Ruby. They seemed a bit worried when I told them I hadn't heard any news from her. In truth, I've been worried about her too. I thought about going after them, but I refuse to leave Yang by herself like this. Ruby has Qrow and her friends with her. I know she'll be safe. Right now, Yang is the one who needs my help.

Right now, she needs a friend.


	29. Entry 29

Entry 29

Yang and I have been training for a few weeks. Every day we've been going out to spar for a few hours and just sort of talk. It's just like when she was younger. Although, she hits a lot harder now.

Her technique is still there, and it's getting better daily. To be honest, she's just needed to get used to the new arm. Nothing else really changed. I think she's recognizing it too. We're both going to need to give Ironwood a thanks for all the work that went into making that possible.

Her head still isn't fully there though. If she's anything like me, that's not going to change for a while. I'm okay with helping her out over time, but I don't think she's going to give herself the time she needs.

I think she's been asking to spar so that she can get back out there. I'm not against the idea, but I'm a bit worried that she will go about things the same way as she did at Beacon. I watched all of her fights during the tournament. She won, but relied on her semblance every step of the way. It's not something she can do every fight. At some point, it's not going to work. It's exactly how she lost her arm in the first place.

I wanted to drive that into her. Not just because she needs to know it, but because I'm scared for her. She's one of the strongest people I've ever met in my life. She's also one of the most stubborn. Stubbornness leads to going back to old ways.

It's why I decided to tell her about Raven.

It wasn't an easy conversation, but it was one that Yang needed to hear. All of them were right. Yang isn't a child any more. She's my little girl, but she's also grown far more than I've ever been able to imagine. Telling her about her mom wasn't going to solve all of the things going on in her head. Only time can fix that. I just thought it would help her understand things the way I see them.

So, I laid it all out there. I allowed her to ask all the questions she wanted about Raven. She didn't have much to say when I first brought her up. It took until around dinnertime for her to find the right things to ask. First, it was about who she was and where she came from. When I told her what I knew of her tribe, the questions started to evolve into what she was capable of.

That's when we got to her semblance.

I knew it was going to be the hardest part to explain. Not because of the ability itself, but because of what it meant to Yang. Raven's bond with others isn't something she used lightly. It's only something she ever extended to the ones closest, or most important, to her. Once she's bonded with someone, there's no taking it back. Which is why Qrow and I are tied to her every day of our lives. Yang was trying to understand why it was such a big deal. Why the 'bond' was so important. That's when I told her about the portals.

It took her a minute to understand. I could see it running through her head. When it finally clicked, she asked the question. Was that why Raven was able to save her on the train just before the breach. When I told her it was, things started to spiral. She realized that she was bonded with Raven as well. That Raven was able to see her at any point in time, but actively chose not to.

It's when the tears started to come. I just held her. I knew that the thought of Raven had always ate at her. I just never knew the extent of it. She never spoke about it with me. That's my fault though. I never talked about her either.

That hurt meant she understood though. Raven left us. Every day of her life, she chooses to continue to be away from us.

Yang's only response was to ask why.

That question isn't something I have the answer to though. When she left, it was to return to her tribe. She said it was what she was always supposed to do, but that was a lie. Raven could have left us at any time. We graduated. If she really was going to go back, that would have been the time. Instead, she stayed.

She chose to stay with team STRQ. We were her friends. We had all bonded together over our time at Beacon. As a team, we went out on all kinds of missions through the kingdoms. Each one involved us risking our lives to help the world. It was scary, but it was something I thought we all wanted.

As a team, we were close. Then we became more than that. When we learned that she was pregnant, the team slowed down a bit. We bought this house on Patch. It was quiet and relaxing. Something away from all the dangers that we fought every day. I thought everything was going perfectly.

Then she left. Something changed in her. I don't know what happened, but it almost seemed like she didn't trust us anymore. Then she was gone.

I told Yang that. I told her all of it. Only Raven truly knows why she left. To be honest, I think she was scared. After everything we saw in the world, it would be hard not to be. I just don't know why she thought the best thing to do was leave. Whatever her real reason is, it doesn't change the fact that she left. It doesn't change the fact that she isn't here with us right now.

Yang was hurt. She had all this new information about Raven, but still not the answer she was looking for. I did see something I hadn't seen in her for a while though. Drive. There was a spark in her eye. Something to work towards. I knew it would be there. I've always known. It's why I never told her any of this in the past.

She wants to go see Raven. She wants answers. This time, if she chooses to go after her, I won't stop her. She deserves the right to know everything. She's right. She isn't a child anymore. She's a young woman now. Both my girls are. They both deserve to know the truth.

I was expecting Yang to be angry with me for keeping all of this from her, but she wasn't. After her tears died down, she hugged me. She thanked me for telling her all of it. For being honest with her. I guess I never realized how much talking like this would mean to her.

It's just another lesson that she taught me.


	30. Dad,

Tai fell into the chair at his desk. The house was silent if not for the occasional sounds of Zwei breathing while he slept at the end of the bed. Tai ran his hand lightly across the corgi's head and sighed. Another day had come and gone. This one leaving him alone once again. Yang had made her choice to go after Ruby. It didn't hurt that she planned to make a much needed stop to see Raven along the way. He held his hands on the back of his head and leaned back into the wooden chair. A single tear falling from his face as he did. His girls were grown up. They were still his girls, but they could make their own decisions in life now. Decisions that put them in harm's way. Decisions that could break their hearts. Decisions that would continue to shape them into the wonderful women that he knew they were destined to become.

He smiled and wiped another tear from his face. His eyes met the leather bound journal at his desk as he did. What would he write in it today? How he was proud of everything Yang had overcome in their short time together. Or maybe how much more he wished he was able to tell her about Raven, Ozpin, Summer, Qrow, and even Ruby. He sighed when he thought of all the small details that he could have shared with her before she left. There just wasn't enough time. She had made up her mind on leaving. Mistral was a long way away. Every day that she stayed at home was another day that Ruby would be waiting for her.

He ran his fingers over the leather cover and slowly flipped through the pages. All of those thoughts would soon join those of the last ten years. As each page turned, he skimmed over the memories. He did it before writing each entry to immerse himself in the past. It was hard. It reminded him of just how it felt to be alone, to fight, to struggle, and to cry. At the same time, it reminded him of how it felt to live, to grow, and to share his lessons with the ones he loved. The journal becoming a constant reminder to reflect on the past, but to keep moving forward in life to make the struggles worth it in the end.

He drew out a pen as he made it to the pages that still held room for the memories of the present and future. He turned one final page and brought the pen down before stopping suddenly on something new.

* * *

Dad,

I know you're going to get mad at me for leaving a note. Especially since it's in your diary. I know how you felt when Ruby left one, but I wanted to make sure you would have it on paper in case I was too scared to tell you in person.

I'm leaving for Mistral to find Ruby. I know it's going to be a long journey, but I don't think I can leave her out there anymore. I know that you're going to worry about me, but I can't abandon her like that. Not without her knowing how much I love her.

That was one of the first things she told me after she woke up. I just wasn't in a place to say it back. I've been regretting that ever since.

I'm angry that she left. Maybe a bit sad too. But I'm proud of her. She's out there trying to do what she thinks is right. I guess I want to help her with that in any way I can.

It's weird to say, but I'm proud of you too ya'know? Despite everything, you've been the one constant in our lives. Even when I felt you were distant, this is the proof that we were always in your mind. I still remember the day Dr. Oobleck told me about this diary. He told me that no matter what happened, your diary would tell me everything I needed to know to get through another day without Summer. Not because she was there, but because you loved us just as much as she did. It was my proof that she was still around inside of you.

I know just how much you love us. I've read all the stories. I can see what you've gone through in an attempt to try anything to help. All you've ever done is cared.

In these past few months, I didn't even need your diary to tell me that. You stayed by me when everyone else ran. I've tried so hard to never need someone to do that for me. I just wanted to be strong for everyone like you always wanted to be for us. But when I couldn't, you were there. You were my friend.

I still have a lot of things to figure out before I'm okay. I know it's going to be hard. I watched you go through it all. I just know I can do it. I have the world's best role model to learn from.

I'm so happy to have you as my dad. I love you so much.

-Your Sunny Little Dragon

* * *

 **Author's Notes**

Thank you so much for reading my little story. This was my first ever fan-fiction and I can honestly say I had a very fun time putting it together. I hope all of you reading it enjoyed it as much as I did writing it! My only request is that you re-watch the episodes of RWBY with Tai in it and then come back to tell me how close you feel I was to capturing who Tai is. It doesn't matter if you feel I completely failed, or hit it perfectly; I'd love to hear your feedback so I can continue improve in my writing.

I have a few ideas for future stories, but I'm going to take the time to build them out before I dive right in. If anything, this story proved how difficult pacing can be. I had originally planned for this to be roughly 22 chapters long. 22 chapters later I realized that there was just too much that needed to be written to make the full story worthwhile. So I failed at creating my storyboard while having the entire show already laid out for me! It was a good lesson to learn though, and I'm happy that I took the time to write this all out so that I could say that I tried.

In the future, I think I'll be avoiding making the theme be a journal. I tried doing it for this story because it was something familiar to me. I keep a journal with an entry each week. Sometimes I write something emotional, others I write about the best joke I heard all week. Since I hadn't written anything for a long time, I felt like it would be the best way to get back into things. It was fun trying to get into Tai's head, but it really limited the story telling I could do. At times, it became closer to memories and reminiscing instead of what you would write down in a 'diary'. At the very least, I can say it was different from a lot of other stories I've read, and it was a challenge for me to write. Just maybe not something I'd try to do again.

Trying other things that are outside my comfort zone will be good though! Everyone's gotta keep moving forward!

Again, thank you all for reading! I sincerely hope you liked it,

~Sh1f7er

P.s. This chapter was the second one I wrote in this whole story. I think it might hint at why Yang originally found the letter from Raven…


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